Students

What you can expect in the Alternative Resolution Process will vary based on the individual incident. Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution staff members will work with the parties to determine which of the resolution methods is best suited for the situation. No matter which type of resolution method is utilized, you can expect to have the opportunity to share what occurred from your perspective, be heard compassionately, ask questions and be asked questions. You should also expect to discuss strategies to manage similar situations in the future which would ideally resolve the conflict or mitigate the harm caused without intervention from the University. While the Process is specific to an incident or series of incidents, the goal is for everyone who participates to feel more empowered to manage conflict and challenging situations independently.

The Alternative Resolution Process exists separately from the Code of Student Responsibility and Academic Integrity; therefore, their participation in the Process is not reportable and does not create a disciplinary record. While the behavior that is being addressed could have risen to the level of a policy violation, the Alternative Resolution Process is an alternative to the accountability process and does not result in a formal disciplinary record. Additionally, SACR does not share the information associated with the Alternative Resolution Process without consent from the involved student.

If you are involved in a situation, where conflict occurred between you and another party associated with the University, please complete an online incident report form for non-academic misconduct. You are encouraged to specify in the report that you would like the situation to be managed through the Alternative Resolution Process. SACR staff will review the report and reach out to you for or with additional information. Please provide as much detail as possible so staff can determine if the situation is appropriate for the Process.

Some resolution methods involve at least one student participant. Depending on the situation, the other involved parties may include additional students, faculty, or staff members. SACR does have limited scope over faculty and staff members participation and participation for all parties is voluntary. Depending on the specific type of conflict/situation with faculty or staff, there may be more appropriate resources to handle the student’s concern. If this is the case, a SACR staff member will contact the reporting party and provide appropriate information on other University processes that may be available.

There are a variety of situations and incidents that could be suited for the Alternative Resolution Process. For example, if you and a roommate have a dispute over the cleaning schedule and you are not able to work it out with your Resident Assistant (or live off campus). Another example might be a situation where you and your roommate repeatedly fight over political views and often struggle to have a meaningful, compassionate conversation where ideas are exchanged. Overall, anything where there is conflict between two or more people could be considered. There is no “right” or “wrong” situation for conflict resolution. There are some incidents that might need to be routed to another university office or entity. If this is the case, SACR will work with you to ensure you get connected to the right department.