As classy and confident collegiettes we know that as hard as we may try, some disagreements just seem impossible to solve. When a situation turns sour, it may be time to look for outside help. Fortunately, TCNJ offers Mediation services to all students looking to resolve disputes between roommates, group members, and faculty members. Biting your tongue because you told your roommate to clean the sink 12 times in the past week? Read on!
What is Mediation?
TCNJ’s Mediation website describes mediation as “a voluntary, private process that includes utilizing a neutral third party to help identify areas of conflict and facilitate discussion between individuals so participants can develop mutually satisfying agreements to overcome the conflict.” It allows conflicting students to come together and try to calmly resolve disagreements under the guidance of a mediator. The goal of mediation is to deepen the appreciation and understanding between parties while coming to a mutually-agreed upon conclusion. TCNJ’s mediation program serves TCNJ student-student, faculty-student, and staff conflicts.
What is the Mediation Process?
- Students involved in a dispute they wish to be resolved should refer their case to mediation.
- The intake coordinator will reach out to all parties to ensure that they all want to utilize mediation as the way of resolving their dispute.
- On the day of the mediation, all parties will meet with the intake coordinator to sign a formal agreement to mediate.
- Formal mediation with two trained mentors begins.
What Does a Mediator Do?
A mediator aides participants in finding resolutions to their conflicts and oversees the writing of an agreement that resolves the dispute. Junior Stephanie Menakis, a member of the Mediation program since her freshman year, said “I’m so happy that I did this (joined the program) because this experience has been consistent throughout my years in college as I now serve as the Mediation intern.”
What are the Benefits of Mediation?
Mediation provides a confidential environment where students can respectfully work together to resolve a conflict. The honest communication utilized in mediation increases respect and appreciation between all parties.
“It’s challenging to make sure you get every detail out of each party so you can successfully identify the key issues and help solve the problem, but once you do, knowing that you helped two people solve their problem is a very rewarding feeling. In the history of the mediation program, we have never had an unsuccessful mediation!” Menakis said. Eighty-nine percent to 96% of participants in the TCNJ mediation process reported satisfaction with the service.
While breaching the topic of mediation with your roommate or group member may be uncomfortable, you want your college experience to be the best possible, so don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Check out the Mediation webpage for more information about receiving mediation services or becoming a mediator!
TCNJ Mediation is run through the Office of the Dean of Students, located in Room 230 in the Brower Student Center.