FAQs
What is mediation?
Mediation is a voluntary process where people with disputes come together, sit down with a peer mediator, and talk about ways to solve their disputes.
A mediation session is not: A court hearing; a process to determine guilt or innocence (parties are there to listen and discuss solutions, not point fingers); mediation is not counseling or therapy.
What is a mediator?
A mediator is the “person in the middle,” an impartial third person who has been trained to help people talk about finding viable solutions to their concerns.
What are the benefits of mediation?
- Flexible
- Voluntary and Private
- Open and direct communication
- All important issues can be discussed
- Important relationships preserved or redefined
- The parties control the outcome
How Does Mediation Work?
The mediator:
- Listens to both sides of the story
- Asks questions about what happened in order to get more information
- Helps people talk about finding a satisfactory solution to their dispute
- Does not take sides
- Does not place blame on one person or the other
What will happen in the mediation session?
Each person will have time to say how they see the situation, what they want changed, and how they would like the situation to be resolved.
The mediator will help the parties come up with a solution. If more sessions are needed, they may be scheduled, but a satisfactory resolution can usually be reached in one or two hours.
If there is an agreement, the parties will be encouraged to sign a written agreement outlining the resolution to the dispute. Both parties will get a copy of the agreement to take home.
What happens after the agreement is signed?
The parties are encouraged to respect the agreement. If there are any further disputes, the parties can initiate another mediation session or use other University avenues to resolve the matter.