ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the use of mediation as one of the most popular alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes and illustrates its many uses for student, faculty, and staff disputes within the institutional setting. It presents a case for why mediation and ADR services are congruent with the mission of the modern university and the need to expand their use and effectiveness, particularly in the area of employee disputes. The chapter explains some major historical milestones of ADR development in higher education, why ADR processes are necessary to mitigate the cost of unproductive conflict. It also presents an overview of the variety of ADR options available on campuses today, and the need to expand its use throughout the campus population. Paralleling the rapid rise of campus mediation programs was an even more dramatic acceleration of campus ombudsmen to conduct mediation and other ADR approaches.
