Student Conflict Resolution Services
a. General Description
Student Conflict Resolution Services (SCRS) offers a wide range of
services to students at Texas A&M University to assist and promote successful conflict
resolution. Primary emphasis is placed on individual responsibility, growth, and
development. This is achieved through individual interaction, the distribution of
educational literature, informational workshops, and training seminars for students,
faculty and staff. The unique design of SCRS provides a campus dispute resolution center
to address legal, judicial and dispute resolution concerns of Texas A&M students. The
three primary components of the Student Conflict Resolution Services office are:
- Student Judicial Services
- Student Legal Services
- Student Mediation Services
A general description of each of these service components follows:
- Student Judicial Services promotes concepts of fairness and due process in judicial
settings throughout the University community, while striking a balance between community
standards and individual behavior through the educational development of students.
- Student Legal Services provides advice and counsel to students concerning their
legal problems, informs them of their legal rights and responsibilities and empowers them
to utilize available legal, University, and community resources so they may respond
appropriately to their legal challenge.
- Student Mediation Services promotes the values, understanding, public awareness, and
practice of mediation while modeling conflict resolution skills and collaborative problem
solving through education, empowerment and service to students.
b. Target Audience
Primary Target Audience:
- Students
- Faculty and academic administrators
- Student organizations
- University staff
Secondary Target Audience:
- Parents of students
- Advocates for students
- Attorneys advising students
- Mediators in University community
c. Delivery of Services and
Programs
Student Judicial Services
- Student Judicial Services operates via reports generated from multiple constituents
throughout the community, including the residence halls, University Police Department,
Computing Information Services, students, faculty, and staff. Reports are evaluated and
investigations are conducted as necessary. Victims and/or witnesses are contacted to
clarify processes and roles. When appropriate, cases are referred to Student Mediation
Services. More typically, charges are issued to students who have allegedly violated TAMU
Student Rules. Hearings are set with these students, and the administrative hearing
officer makes determinations regarding responsibility. Sanctions are assigned as
appropriate to the violation.
- Discipline sanctions include a warning, written reprimand, community service hours, hall
probation, conduct probation, suspension, dismissal and expulsion. Discipline sanctions
may be given in addition to any criminal or civil action taken by off-campus authorities.
Student Legal Services
- A licensed attorney provides legal advice to students with legal problems. Information
and counseling are available regarding a variety of legal matters including
landlord/tenant disputes, consumer protection, auto accidents, and family, criminal and
business law. Student Legal Services is limited in matters of litigation and cannot
represent a student against Texas A&M University or another A&M student.
Student Mediation Services
- Student Mediation Services coordinates alternative conflict resolution services and
training programs and conducts assessments of potential cases for mediation (i.e. roommate
conflicts, relationship conflicts, sexual harassment involving students, and racial/ethnic
harassment disputes) as a process for resolving student disputes. Mediation is a form of
Alternative Dispute Resolution that is a private, voluntary and interactive process in
which an impartial person, the mediator, facilitates communication between parties to
promote reconciliation, settlement, or understanding among them.
d. Marketing of
Services and Programs
Student Judicial Services
- Information contained in TAMU Student Rules, Whoop!Start (new student
handbook), and TAMU catalog.
- Brochures that describe student judicial process
- Academic Integrity Campaign
- Presentations to Corps of Cadets, Residence Life staff, etc.
Student Legal Services
- Referrals by students, staff, faculty, court clerks, local attorneys, apartment
managers, police, Better Business Bureau, Texas Apartment Association
- Distribution of pamphlets to students describing available services for students
- Speaking to student groups
- Individual consultation with students
- Group consultations with students charged with MIP after Bonfire
- Publication of brochures and pamphlets on legal topics of interest to students
Student Mediation Services
- Table tents in dining halls
- Residence Life Area Meetings
- Various brochures featuring the benefits of mediation as an form of dispute resolution
- Off Campus Student Services programs
- University Police Training programs
- Ad in University Publications (newspapers, calendars, etc.)
- Resident Advisor/Resident Director training
- Letters to target populations
- Better Business Bureau event participation
- Informational Web Pages
e. Collaborative Efforts:
Intradepartmental Collaboration:
- Alcohol and Drug Education Programs (SJS, SLS)
- Gender Issues Education Services (SJS)
- Greek Life (SJS, SLS, SMS)
- Off Campus Student Services (SLS, SMS)
University Collaboration:
- Athletic Department (SJS)
- Commandant’s Office (SJS)
- Educational Psychology and Speech Communications Departments (SMS – conflict
mediation course)
- International Student Services (SJS, SLS, SMS)
- Office of General Counsel (SJS)
- Program on Conflict and Dispute Resolution (SMS – intradepartmental academic
program)
- Recreational Sports (SJS)
- Residence Life (SJS, SMS)
- Understanding Mediation Program (SMS – joint venture of SMS and Office of Contracts
and Regulatory Compliance)
- University Police (SJS)
Community Collaboration:
- Better Business Bureau of Brazos Valley (SLS)
- Brazos County Rape Crisis Center (SJS)
- Brazos Valley Dispute Resolution Center (SMS)
- Texas Apartment Association resident relations committee (SLS)
f. Evaluation and
Assessment
Student Judicial Services
- Student Judicial Services track statistics on a monthly basis. The information gathered
includes, number of individuals charged, number of charges filed, the resolution of each
case, and the time frame under which resolution was reached. Additionally, cases that have
gone to appeal and cases involving outside service areas are evaluated. The purpose of
these evaluations is to determine areas of needed of improvement in the process. Along
with these numbers, the monthly report includes anecdotal information concerning specific
cases, one or two brief comments regarding the internal processing, and highlighted
incidents of a more serious nature. The purpose of this portion of the report is to
educate the reader as to the job we do. This information is shared with individuals in the
following areas; Student Government Association, Corps of Cadets, University Police
Department, Residence Life, Student Life, Student Activities, and the Vice President of
Student Affairs.
Student Legal Services
- Student Legal Services has conducted a customer satisfaction survey of students who
utilize the services. It also maintains statistics on students' use of the services
including reason for visit.
Student Mediation Services
- Student Mediation Services has conducted a satisfaction survey of all parties involved
in mediation coordinated by Student Mediation Services. The survey also serves as an
evaluation of mediators.
g. Resources
Personnel
- Coordinator, Student Judicial Services – administer University judicial process,
assign hearing officers, conduct administrative hearings and pre-hearings, provide
educational programming for and act as liaison to campus community in areas of Greek Life,
Athletic Department, Corps of Cadets, and faculty, serve on University Bonfire Advisory
Committee, advise IFC Judicial Board, act as adjunct mediator, and administer office
budget
- Coordinator, Student Judicial Services – administer University judicial process,
assess charges, conduct administrative hearings, and pre-hearings, provide educational
programming for and act as liaison to campus community in areas of Residence Life,
Recreational Sports, and faculty, serve on Developmental Leave Committee, advise Residence
Life Judicial Board
- Coordinator, Student Mediation Services - responsible for coordination of Student
Mediation Services including providing mediation services, conflict consultations,
educational programs, administration, and promotion of the service. Serve as a liaison
with Brazos Valley Dispute Resolution Center and on faculty of the Program on Conflict and
Dispute Resolution teaching a Conflict Mediation undergraduate course. Other duties
include serving as an adjunct hearing officer, conducting pre-hearings, and serving on the
Disciplinary Task Force and Staff Development Team.
- Student Attorney - responsible for the overall operations of Student Legal Services.
Provide consultation, counseling, and advice to individual students and student
organizations on a variety of legal matters. Inform students of their legal rights and
responsibilities through interviews and publications.
- Conflict Resolution Specialist – conduct mediation in-take process including
scheduling and follow-up with potential clients, provide assistance to students with
questions about legal processes, serve as investigator in judicial cases that require
additional information
- Administrative Secretary - Primary support for Student Judicial Services. Create and
maintain judicial files, maintain the database and provide clerical / scheduling
assistance to hearing officers and students involved in the University Judicial Process,
coordinate staff travel requests, assist Student Mediation Services and Student Legal
Services with administrative tasks, act as liaison regarding students’ discipline
status with the following offices: Vice President for Student Affairs, University Police,
College Deans, Student Activities, Memorial Student Center Programs, Financial Aid,
Alcohol and Drug Education Programs, Residence Life and the Corps of Cadets.
- Clerk III – serve as primary receptionist for SCRS, sort and distribute mail,
schedule appointments for all professional staff, maintain inventory for office
publications, assist in coordination of office budget, prepare legal documents.
h. Primary Obstacles
Student Judicial Services
- Confusion between legal process and disciplinary process.
- Mail delivery, both on and off campus. The frequent delays in mail services result in
interruption of the time-based judicial process.
- Accessibility of services in terms of readily available parking
Student Legal Services
- Staffing resources are limited. One attorney is not able to adequately provide legal
service to forty-three thousand students.
Student Mediation Services
- Mediation is a misunderstood tool and a dispute resolution process that is contrary to
popular culture’s tendency to go to a higher authority or avoid the problem rather
than solve problems collaboratively.
- Numerous administrators on campus, some qualified and many not qualified, conduct
mediation sessions with students they work with rather than referring to a neutral party
in Student Mediation Services. Referrals to mediation are made after these initial
attempts fail and often after the conflict has escalated.
- Accessibility of Student Mediation Services in terms of readily available parking.
Students and other parties have only 30 minute parking nearby (when available) and the
average mediation session is 2 hours.
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