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Humphreys College lacks a conflict solution program where students and faculty can turn to if there are disagreements or oppositions of interests and ideas between them. This paper gives a description of conflict, different methods of conflict resolution, and gives my idea of how the school can benefit from having a conflict resolution program INTRODUCTION This paper will define conflict, give methods of conflict resolution, and list the short term and long term benefits of my proposed conflict resolution program in the school. Ill try to convince the reader that having a conflict resolution program for students and faculty can give the school a better vituperation with having better ways to communicate and dispute differences among each other within the college. Humphreys College is a prestigious independent California institution of higher education with over 1 17 years of educational dedication. They serve motivated, determined students who thrive in an extraordinarily personal, welcoming, and approachable environment where the students can see constant progression.
They claim they are skilled and have professional faculty-practitioners who build bridges between a solid education foundation in the liberal arts and practical life. The school also offers a variety of different ways Of learning. They offer team projects, individual presentations, hands-on practice, and online learning (Humphreys College). While this school provides day and night classes to fit every ones busy schedule, the school lacks a third party for students to turn to when they feel a disagreement has come across between themselves and faculty.
You can find a general catalog inside the schools’ website where all their policies are listed. In those policies, there is zero tolerance for drug/ alcohol use, sexual harassment, and assault. Although these policies are very much respected, the catalog does not list anything about resolution of grievance other than TA king complaints to the immediate supervisor. At Humphreys College there is only one supervisor and students feel like the supervisor is one sided (faculty). The frustration of the students grows as they walk away feeling like nothing was resolved.
CONFLICT Conflict is defined as a sharp disagreement or opposition of interests or ideas. Anytime people work together, conflict is a part of ‘doing business’. Conflict is a normal and natural part of any workplace. When it occurs, there s a tendency for morale to be lowered, an increase in absenteeism and decreased productivity (Human Resources University of Colorado Boulder). Handling and resolving conflicts that arise in the workplace is one Of the biggest challenges students, faculty, staff, managers, employees, customers face.
Typically there are two responses to conflict: avoid it or confront it (Human Resources University of Colorado Boulder). There are two major types of conflict The first type of conflict is known as “personalized”. This type of conflict is motivated primarily by emotion and perceptions about someone else’s personality, character and motives. Because personalized conflict concentrates on emotion and not issues, problem solving seldom works, as neither party is really interested in solving a problem. The second type of conflict is known as “substantive”.
In this case, mediation would be ideal for this type of conflict. Mediation is a process for resolving disputes by which an independent mediator assists the parties in reaching a mutually satisfactory settlement. A mediation session involves a discussion of the dispute by the parties, as opposed to the formal presentation of witnesses and evidence such as takes place in a trial or arbitration. The session will normally be attended only by the mediator, the parties and if necessary, their attorneys.
Because of the informality of the process, mediation can usually be completed in a day or less (Roberts). The mediation process is entirely voluntary and non-binding. The mediator has no power to render a decision or to force the parties to accept a settlement. Rather, the mediator’s role is to assist the parties in their negotiations by identifying obstacles to settlement and developing strategies for overcoming them. A mediation session is private and confidential. It is normally held in a private office or meeting room and no public record is made of the proceedings.
If no settlement is reached any statements during he proceedings are inadmissible as evidence in any subsequent litigation (Roberts). Mediation works best when all the parties involved are present to discuss the issues that are the source of conflict. The neutral mediator helps create an environment where all participants have equal and full voice. Such open communication helps people in conflict listen to one another’s viewpoints and identify the underlying issues and interests. In this way, the mediation process allows participants to find meaningful resolutions to their disputes.
Often participants leave mediation better able to communicate and solve conflicts in the future (University). Resolving the conflict through mediation gives each party the time to prepare for what they want resolved and also give them time to think of what the other party will say. While at the mediation, they can each actually listen to each other rather than being angry at the moment of the conflict. They each know that they are going to be heard and a third party will assist them to control their feelings.
The mediation process should only proceed if all conflict resolutions were tried and none seemed to resolve the issue. Diversity Culture affects the way that people understand conflict and shapes their views about how best to intervene. Answers to questions surrounding how parties name and identify conflict, how to approach conflict, and whether members of the community or parties’ extended families should be involved in conflict resolution are rooted in culture and shaped by context and experience.
There are also deeply shared meanings about how to understand and interpret the way in which conflict emerges, escalates, and is resolved. Beyond the knowledge gleaned from books and articles, there is also the knowledge that people have in their heads already, as a result of being situated in a particular society and culture. What Eel Baron calls “cultural messages” are what everyone in a group knows that outsiders do not know. These lenses orient people to the world in a particular way and govern how they perceive and interpret the world.
Thus, understandings about conflict should be understood partly in terms of culture (Mammies). DESIRED OUTCOMES OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION Students, staff, and faculty only want fairness and honesty as their resolution when coming in contact with conflict. In reality only one party is going to feel as fifth resolution is fair and the other party is going to feel like it is not fair and they are still going to be left with a side of anger. It would be safe to say that in order for the conflict resolution to be fair, both parties would have to negotiate.
There are two types of negotiations. The first type of negotiation is called “Dispute Negotiation”. This negotiation is focused on resolving past facts. The second type of negotiation is Transactional Negotiation. This type of negotiation is focused on reaching agreement for the future. While it is often helpful to appreciate this difference between dispute negotiation and transaction negotiation, it is also beneficial to appreciate that many negotiation situations involve the resolution of both past issues as well as planning future relations (James C. Melded).
Before seeking to reach agreement on solutions for the future, Fisher and Dry suggest that multiple solution options be developed prior to evaluation of those options. The typical way of doing this is called brainstorming. In brainstorming, the parties, with or without the mediator’s participation, enervate many possible solution before deciding which of those best fulfill the parties’ joint interests. In developing options, parties look for mutual gains (James C. Melded). Fairness and honesty can be both achieved when both parties are working together to resolve their conflict and come up with a resolution.
In the perfect world, both parties are willing to work together and be open-minded to wanton resolve their conflict in a peaceful way instead of getting angry. If one party shows the other that they are calm and use a friendly tone of voice, the other party can absorb the good energy and give it ace in return. Working with people who are willing to negotiate with you, when the two are in conflict, can assure you that working with them in a future conflict will be an easy task. COMPONENTS OF A CONFLICT RESOLUTION PLAN In order to come up with a plan, all parties must be willing to want to come up with a resolution for their conflict.
Everyone should have the ability to airframe conflicting interests into a joint problem to be solved cooperatively. They must have the desire to reach a mutually beneficial solution, Awareness of one’s own motives, needs, wants, cognitions and feelings, Respect for oneself and one’s own interests as well as respect for another and his/her interests, Ability to perceive another’s point of view, Ability to listen attentively and communicate in order to be understood, Exploration of possible common/compatible interests, and the ability to manage/diffuse anger (Scott).