If an agreement is reached by the parties, it is usually formalized and put into written form. The process typically takes 1-2 hours, but will vary depending on the case. Sessions can be scheduled during the day, evening, or weekend to meet the particular needs of the people involved. The process is private and confidential and does not result in a student record or file that might return to haunt students or staff in the future. The Campus Mediation Program is designed to handle interpersonal disputes between two or more people in an interdependent living or working situation.
Mediation settles disputes privately and confidentially, out of the public eye.
Disputants can modify their positions without fear of losing face in front of their friends or coworkers. Also, no student file or record results from using the process. It's fast and convenient. Mediations can usually be held within 7-days of first contact, before things escalate and get worse or more complicated. By bringing in neutral mediators from outside, the process takes the RA out of the center of the conflict and can thus help them maintain credibility and neutrality in the eyes of the other members of the floor or hall.