These educational innovations at other levels are now beginning to bear fruit at the collegiate level. From the point of view of an administrator, mediation may be useful for the following reasons. MIT ombudsperson Mary Rowe also argues that staff members in conflict actually prefer a multiple-option approach to dispute resolution that includes the option of an informal response. Mediation is another tool that can assist administrators and staff in keeping those students who do opt to come to their campus from leaving due to unresolved or painful conflict experiences. Mediation can support the educational goals of the organization while still addressing breeches of the social contract.
Disputants often learn important lessons from conflicts that are handled appropriately.
The more that disputes can resolved at a low-level, the less administrative time must be spent arbitrating the myriad of disputes that arise among both staff and students. Mediation can help maintain good relationships among individuals and groups on campus and between the institution and the local community. This is an important goal for most campus administrators, as it makes their jobs easier in the long run. Theories of Effective Campus Leadership There are concepts of leadership in the field of higher education that can also be used to argue for the value of mediation. I would suggest that campus mediation services can play a helpful role in all eight areas.