News Archives
2008
December 2008: Abilene, Texas
COPE ELECTED TMTR CO-CONVENER
Joe L. Cope, Executive Director of ACU's Center for Conflict Resolution, was elected co-convener of the Texas Mediation Trainers Roundtable (TMTR) at the organization's November meeting in Austin, Texas. More>>
November 2008: Abilene, Texas
COPE'S THOUGHTS ON THE POSITIVE SOLUTIONS INSTITUTE
Our announcement in the last newsletter of the launch of a new identity for the training arm of the Center for Conflict Resolution received quite a bit of notice. Reaction to the news has brought a few questions. The following are responses from the Center’s Executive Director, Joe L. Cope. The article also includes a new video explaining the Center's services offered through the Positive Solutions Institute. More>>
November 2008: Abilene, Texas
GRUDGE-MAKING, PREEMPTIVE PEACEMAKING AND REALLY NICE CANADIANS
By Associate Professor Garry P. Bailey, Ph.D
People who characteristically have deep and solid friendships still wrestle with conflict. One type of recurring conflict is the holding of grudges. This is not just a Canadian phenomenon. It's a common way that people mishandle conflict.
More>>
November 2008: Abilene, Texas
CENTER AWARDED $13,000 GRANT
ACU's Center for Conflict Resolution (CCR) recently received a $13,000 Vision Grant from the United Way of Abilene to develop conflict resolution training for educationally and economically disadvantaged adults in the community. More>>
October 2008: Abilene, Texas
SOMETIMES YOU JUST KNOW BETTER
By Executive Director Joe L. Cope, J.D.
You know the feeling, don't you? You find yourself in the middle of a growing debacle - one that could have been easily prevented. And you knew better than to do what you did.
More>>
October 2008: Abilene, Texas
"WHO 'YA GONNA CALL" AN OUTSIDE RESOURCE FOR CHURCHES IN CONFLICT
By Volunteer Mediator Roland Orr
Opportunities exist in an escalating conflict to bring in outside assistance to help resolve the conflict and to provide reconciliation. Unity, peace, and purpose can be restored. Proving training in conflict management can help avoid or minimize the conflict before a crisis develops. Yet, church leaders seem reluctant or strongly opposed to call for "outside" help. Why? More>>
October 2008: Abilene, Texas
CENTER LAUNCHES THE POSITIVE SOLUTION INSTITUTE
The Center for Conflict Resolution is often called upon to provide intervention and training services to business, churches, and nonprofit agencies. To better serve these institutions, the Center is launching the Positive Solutions Institute. More>>
September 2008: Abilene, Texas
SENSITIVITY
By Executive Director Joe L. Cope, J.D.
Life brings experience. Some people get to a level of experience very quickly in life - experiencing poverty, family break-ups, loss of loved ones. The rest of us are introduced to those themes over a longer period of time. Our choice becomes one of sensitivity or insensitivity. I'm beginning to see life as one big intersection... More>>
September 2008: Abilene, Texas
MAKING "CENTERS" OUT OF MONEY CONFLICTS
By Assistant Professor Matthew J. Dodd, Ph.D
It's been said that opposites attract, and the same usually holds true for how couples deal with money. Many times one person is the saver and one is the spender, or one is the "accountant" and one is the free spirit." While this combination creates balance, it also leads to conflict about how to manage money. More>>
September 2008: Abilene, Texas
CENTER'S BELOVED DIANE DUNCUM LEAVES LEGACY OF HELPING OTHERS
Diane (Vannoy) Duncum, a distinguished Abilene Christian University alumnus and devoted supporter of the university, died on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at her home in College Station, Texas at the age of 68. "Diane was a woman of unswerving resolve, " said Joe L. Cope, Executive Director of the ACU Center for Conflict Resolution. More>>
September 2008: Abilene, Texas
FIRST CLASS GRADUATES WITH M.A. IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND RECONCILIATION
On Aug. 8, Downing Bolls, Betsy Freeman, Kelliann Hale, Roy Jones, and Brian Ziemer became the first graduates of Abilene Christian University's Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation program. More>>
August 2008: Abilene, Texas
CAN CONFLICTS EVER BE RESOLVED?
By Associate Professor Garry P. Bailey, Ph.D.
Several years ago, a popular notion surfaced suggesting that conflict was a thing to manage, not resolve. According to this theory, when two people are in conflict, for example, they may agree on a resolution but this idea suggests that there is always more to it. The lingering effects and many prongs of the conflict may make the problem a chronic one to be managed, not resolved. More>>
August 2008: Abilene, Texas
MISPLACED APOLOGY
By Executive Director Joe L. Cope, J.D.
“I am sorry for what I’m about to say. I apologize if I seem negative and difficult.”
July 2008: Abilene, Texas
FEEDBACK: THE BEAUTY OF WELCOMING CONVERSATION
by Executive Director Joe L. Cope, J.D.
“Hey, I’ve got an idea for you!”
“Have you ever thought about . . . ?”
“I don’t understand why you do this like you do. . .”
Sixty-nine students. Six instructors. Two support staff. Five days. Almost 40 hours. Five hundred bottled waters and sodas. Pop-Tarts and granola bars. Countless Power Point slides. A couple of handfuls of role plays. Videos. Fishbowl mediation. Debriefing sessions. Discussions. Hallway conversations. Lunch table talk. Emails at night.
Oh, and a requested evaluation form at the end. More>>
July 2008: Abilene, Texas
BOOK REVIEW: THE ART OF FORGIVING BY LEWIS B. SMEDES
By Associate Professor Garry P. Bailey, Ph. D.
I would argue that forgiveness is probably the most complex of human experiences. As such, the average person really needs some help understanding what it means and how to make the right choices in responding to conflict situations. Lewis Smedes makes some very good points about what forgiveness is, what it is isn’t, and answers many questions people have about the process. More>>
July 2008: Abilene, Texas
DEPARTMENT OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION HOSTS 2ND RESIDENCY SESSION
After working together in online conflict resolution courses, students, faculty, and staff met face-to-face for the first time at the ACU Department of Conflict Resolution Residency Session. Sixty-nine students from Michigan, Oregon, Singapore, Africa, and many other places, came to Abilene, Texas for the five-day training session.
"The goal of Residency Session is to provide students with the opportunity to practice the skills they've studied in their online courses. We want them to leave residency Session with confidence in their ability to negotiate and mediate effectively in a variety of settings," said Dr. Matthew Dodd, Assistant Professor of the Department of Conflict Resolution. More>>
June 2008: Abilene, Texas
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: LONG AND HALE MINISTER TO WOMEN WORLDWIDE
After earning graduate degrees in conflict resolution at Abilene Christian University, Mariana Long and Kelliann Hale use their conflict resolution skills to minister to women all over the world though Come before Winter. With years of missions experience of their own, Long and Hale have a deep affection for women in ministry and missions.
"At one renewal, a group of women brought major team conflicts with them. At their request, I shared the process of mediation with them.By the end of the week it was obvious that healing had taken place." More>>
June 2008: Abilene, Texas
STUDY SHOWS MEDIATION IS MORE SATISFYING FOR DIVORCING COUPLES THAN LITIGATION
As more divorcing couples use mediation rather than litigation to resolve their divorce issues, the effectiveness of mediation has captured the attention of researchers. Although much qualitative discussion has taken place about the benefits of mediation over litigation for divorcing couples, a quantitative review of divorce mediation and litigation outcome literature has never been performed.
Therefore, to determine the overall efficacy of mediation as an alternative dispute resolution process for divorcing couples, the Center's Asst. Director for Program Development Lori Anne Shaw conducts a meta-analysis on this literature. More>>
June 2008: Abilene, Texas
INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS AND STRENTHEN RELATIONSHIPS
The Center provides training to businesses, nonprofits, schools, and churches. Understanding how to prevent and manage conflict makes even the best organizations better by increasing effectiveness and strengthening relationships.
Trainings are adapted to fit the needs of the organization. For more information about the Center's services and training programs, contact us at (325) 674-2015or conflictresolution@acu.edu. More>>
June 2008: Abilene, Texas
NO PLACE...NO TABLE
by Executive Director Joe L. Cope
She stood quietly to the side as others gathered around with their questions or personal stories or parting greetings. As the others left the room and I turned, her eyes clouded and she carefully chose her words. “I understand that I have an obligation to make peace with others. But what if,” she faltered a bit, “the others won’t allow me a place at the table?” More>>
May 2008: Abilene, Texas
CENTER RECEIVES $5,000 FROM COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM
The Center for Conflict Resolution at ACU recently received $5,000 from the Community Foundation of Abilene to assist with the costs of developing conflict resolution curriculum and training materials for economically challenged adults, a population for which conflict resolution training is scarce and sorely needed. More>>
April, 2008: Abilene, Texas
CONFLICT RESOLUITON SKILLS CAN HELP PREVENT VIOLENCE IN SOCIETY
One way to help prevent the increasing incidence of violence in society is through early prevention, such as training in conflict resolution for children and families. That's one fo the messages put forth by Dr. Glen Stassen, author of numberous book on peace and justice, including Just Peacemaking: Ten Practices for Abolishing War. "Research results indicate the most violent events are preceded by escalation from verbal conflict through insults, and threats..." More>>
March, 2008: Abilene, Texas
CENTER'S MEDIATOR-IN-RESIDENCE DISCUSSES CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN THE HEALTHCARE MARKET
Dr. Jerry Strader, Sr., mediator-in- residence at Abilene Christian University’s Center for Conflict Resolution, joined forces with two health law attorneys, John Allen Chalk, Sr. and Jeanne F. Franklin, to present Basics of Mediating Healthcare Conflicts: Helping Health Lawyers Use Mediation Successfully and Comply with Joint Commission Conflict Resolution Requirements. More>>
January, 2008: Abilene, Texas
CENTER MOVES TO NEW DIANE AND JOHN DUNCUM CENTER FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION
The Center for Conflict Resolution is pleased to announce their move to their new facility. The Diane and John Duncum Center for Conflict Resolution is a two-story, 7,000-square-foot, state-of-the art facility personally designed and decorated by John and Diane Duncum of College Station, Texas. More>>
