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>> ACR Update, September 4, 2002 <<
Published by the Association for Conflict Resolution,
a merged organization of AFM, CREnet, and SPIDR
http://www.acresolution.org
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WELCOME TO ACR UPDATE!

ACR Update is sent on a regular basis to share important conflict resolution news and organizational updates with our members. We encourage
you to scroll through the items listed below, and hope you'll find this information useful. We look forward to your feedback!

OVERVIEW OF ARTICLES
September 4, 2002

[1] ACR Launches Redesigned Web site and Members-Only Area

[2] New ACR Board Takes Office

[3] ACR Seeks New Office Space
* Message from the COO Seeking Your Assistance

[4] ACR Conference Update
* Report on ACR Second Annual Conference
* Call for Proposals: ACR Third Annual Conference

[5] Report from ACR's Unauthorized Practice of Law Task Force

[6] ACR Chapter Update

[7] ACR Section Update

[8] Call for Submissions: ACResolution magazine

[9] Quotes

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[1] ACR Launches Redesigned Web site and Members-Only Area
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ACR'S WEB SITE HAS NEW LOOK, EXCITING FEATURES

The Association for Conflict Resolution launched its redesigned Web site on August 21, 2002, to coincide with the start of ACR's Second Annual
Conference in San Diego, California.

The site features improved navigation, easier access to important information, a searchable directory of mediators and a home page that
prominently displays the latest site content.

The long-awaited members-only area provides ACR members with easy-to-use interfaces to update contact information, renew membership, participate in discussion forums, find other members and connect with others in professional interest sections. ACR members will receive their usernames and passwords for this portion of the Web site via postal mail later this month.

Questions, comments and suggestions may be submitted to info@acresolution.org. The Web site, http://www.acresolution.org, will
continue to be enhanced and improved.

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[2] New ACR Board Takes Office: Message from the CEO
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REPORT ON ACR's FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION

Dear ACR Members,

The results of ACR's first Board of Directors election were announced at ACR's Second Annual Conference, during the Presidential Luncheon. At the
luncheon, Nancy E. Peace officially became ACR's President, and Arnie Shienvold became immediate Past President. Arnie was thanked for his
impressive leadership.

The slate of candidates for this first election was exceptional, and thank you to all who ran for positions on the Board. ACR is pleased to welcome
the following new elected and appointed Directors:

Rosemary Romero, President-Elect
John Conbere, Vice President
Nicholas Dewar, Treasurer-Elect
Diane Kenty, Chapters Director
Jennifer Lynch, Sections Director
Steve Erickson, At-large Director
Leah Wing, At-large Director

Thank you, and best wishes, to the outgoing Directors: Larry Fong, Nina Meierding, Sharon Press, Dennis Sharp, Terry Wheeler, and Paul Wiley. A
special thank-you goes to the members of the 2002 Governance Committee, chaired by Sharon Press, for their hard work.

Sincerely,

David A. Hart
CEO

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[3] ACR Seeks New Office Space: Message from the COO
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YOUR LEGACY TO THE CONFLICT RESOLUTION FIELD

ACR is looking for new office space by May 31, 2003. We need to find a new location because our current landlord is creating a visiting scholar
center and therefore will not be renewing our lease.

How can you help? Do you know anyone who might have free or reduced cost space in Washington, D.C.? Do you know any real estate agents who specialize in this area and would be willing to provide their services for free or at a reduced rate? Do you know someone who wants to donate a building to ACR as his/her legacy to the conflict resolution field?

We hope to find a Metro-accessible space that is ADA-compliant and cost-effective.
We currently have 11 staff and need some additional space for interns, consultants, and expansion. We are willing to share offices to keep costs
down.

Please help us find office space below the going market rates. If you have any possible leads or
suggestions, please contact me by phone at 202 667 9700 ext. 208, or by e-mail at ssigdyal@acresolution.org.

Thank you,

Sangita Sigdyal
Chief Operating Officer

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[4] ACR Conference Update
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REPORT FROM ACR'S SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE

More than 1,200 people gathered in San Diego August 21 - 24 to celebrate ACR's inaugural year and launch new initiatives for the coming year.
Attendees at ACR's Second Annual Conference chose from among a wide variety of workshops, as well as a number of thought-provoking caucus groups and mini-plenary sessions. Section meetings also provided an opportunity for members and prospective members to plan for the year ahead. One of the conference highlights was the keynote address, given by Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Mr. Gandhi gave a moving account of lessons he learned from his grandfather, and encouraged his audience to embrace nonviolence in their daily lives. Attendees also enjoyed several performing arts events, including a Mexican fiesta with mariachi bands and the closing event, which featured Mexican folk dancing. Thank you to the 2002 Program Committee and our onsite volunteers for their hard work in making this conference a success.

If you attended the Annual Conference and have not completed a conference evaluation form, you may do so online athttp://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/2002confeval. Your feedback will help us plan for our Third Annual Conference. We look forward to
seeing you in Orlando in 2003!

SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR ACR'S THIRD ANNUAL CONFERENCE

ACR's Third Annual Conference
The World of Conflict Resolution: A Mosaic of Possibilities
October 15-18, 2003
Orlando, Florida USA

The 2003 ACR Conference Planning Committee invites proposals that address questions facing the field such as: What are the best practices in conflict resolution? What do we -- as conflict resolvers -- want our field to become? What are the opportunities and challenges? What are the threats? What are the creative uses and innovative practices of conflict resolution? How do youth fit into the field? The committee is also seeking proposals that address such practical issues as how one develops a successful conflict resolution practice.

For more information, or to submit a proposal, go to:
http://www.acresolution.org/acrconf.nsf/ac03sessioninput

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[5] Report from ACR's Unauthorized Practice of Law Task Force: Message from the Chair
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To: ACR Members
From: Nancy Peace, Chair of ACR's Unauthorized Practice of Law Task
Force

The ACR Unauthorized Practice of Law Task Force is soliciting feedback on its draft report, now available online on the ACR Web site. The Report of
the Task Force on the Unauthorized Practice of Law is the product of over two years of effort by ACR's UPL Task Force, which is made up of ADR
professionals from a variety of backgrounds. While the initial charge to this group was "to explore fully [ ] the UPL issue as it relates to the ADR
practitioner, mediation, arbitration, and other pertinent hybrid processes," the focus of this report is exclusively on mediation.

The Task Force reached consensus on the greater portion of the report; however, there remain a limited number of areas where consensus was not reached. The areas where consensus was not reached have been clearly delineated within the body of the report.

In an effort to further the discussion on this critical topic, the ACR Board of Directors is circulating this draft report for comment. The ACR
Board welcomes written comments by October 15, 2002. To read the draft report and submit a comment, please go to the following link on the ACR Web site:
http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/UPL-Aug02.

Thank you in advance for your careful review and thoughtful comments on this important topic. I believe that it is critical that ACR, as the
leading organization of dispute resolution practitioners, continue to set the standards of practice for mediation.

Respectfully Submitted,

Nancy E. Peace
Chair, ACR Unauthorized Practice of Law Task Force
President, ACR

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[6] ACR Chapter Update
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LEARN MORE ABOUT ACR CHAPTERS

Are you interested in becoming involved with ACR in your geographic area? ACR has dynamic regional Chapters, which provide members in common
geographical regions with a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face and attend professional development programs and activities. In the Chapters, conflict resolution professionals share ideas and best practices, and make connections throughout their region.

For more information on joining ACR Chapters -- or starting one in your area -- please contact Danette Ross, Membership Development Associate for Chapters and Family Mediation, by e-mail at dross@acresolution.org or by phone at 202-667-9700 ext. 227. Or visit our Web site:
http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/chapters.

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[7] ACR Section Update
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BECOME INVOLVED WITH ACR SECTIONS

ACR's practice area Sections had highly successful meetings at ACR's Second Annual Conference in San Diego, and look forward to working with both new and old members on exciting plans for the coming year. Through conferences, newsletters, e-mail and mentoring programs, ACR's Sections offer members ways to keep current on best practices and issues in the field, and opportunities to consult with experienced professionals and trade information with each other. ACR has the following Sections: Commercial, Community, Consumer, Court, Criminal Justice, Crisis
Negotiation, Education (pre-K-12 and Higher Education), Environmental/Public Policy, Family, Health Care, International, Ombuds,
Online Disputes, Organizational Conflict Management, Research, Spirituality, Training, and Workplace.

If you would like information about ACR's Sections, please contact Lynne Kinnucan, Membership Development Associate for Sections and Publicity, by e-mail at lkinnucan@acresolution.org or by phone at 202-667-9700 ext. 247. For information about the upcoming activities of specific Sections, please feel free to contact Section Chairs. Contact information for Section Chairs is listed on our Web site:
http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/sections. To join a Section, or check on your current Section membership status, please contact Cherise Alley, Membership Development Coordinator, by e-mail at calley@acresolution.org or by phone at 202-667-9700 ext. 245.

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[8] Call for Submissions: ACResolution
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LAST CHANCE FOR MEMBERS IN THE NEWS SUBMISSIONS!

ACResolution magazine is requesting submissions for the Members in the News section of ACResolution. Members in the News, a subsection of the
magazine's In Brief section, is the place for you to update your fellow ACR members on recent developments in your life and professional career.
Getting married? Found a new job in the field? Moved to another city? Write and tell us about it! Submissions should be 50 - 100 words long,
accompanied by a photo scanned at 300 dpi (you may send a photo hard copy if an electronic version is not available), and should note your ACR
membership status and history. Please send all submissions to ACResolution's Managing Editor, Mark Sawchuk, at msawchuk@acresolution.org,
accompanied by your complete name, contact information and primary professional title.

SUBMIT TO ACRESOLUTION'S WINTER 2003 ISSUE ON THE HISTORY OF THE FIELD

ACResolution magazine is now soliciting previously unpublished feature submissions for its Winter 2003 issue, whose theme will be "The History of
Conflict Resolution Practice: Learning from Our Experiences." Authors of accepted submissions must sign an ACR Permission to Publish Agreement. If you are interested in submitting a feature article for this important ACResolution issue, please e-mail a 250-word abstract of your proposed
article by September 30th to Managing Editor Mark Sawchuk at msawchuk@acresolution.org. With your abstract submission, please include
your complete name and contact information, ACR membership affiliation and history, and professional title.

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[9] Quotes
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A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. -- William Shedd

If we want a free and peaceful world, if we want to make the deserts bloom and man grow to greater dignity as a human being -- we can do it .--
Eleanor Roosevelt

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. -- Nelson Mandela

It's the action, not the fruit of the action that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time,
that there'll be any fruit. But that does not mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no results. -- Mohandas Gandhi

War is only a cowardly escape from the problems of peace. -- Thomas Mann

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Copyright 2002, Association for Conflict Resolution
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