WELCOME TO ACR UPDATE—the monthly e-newsletter sharing important conflict resolution news and organizational updates with ACR members. Your feedback is welcome!

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Call for Nominations for ACR’s 2005-2006 Board of Directors Election

2. Workplace Section’s New Labor and Employment Arbitrator Advanced Practitioner

3. Tune in to Nickelodeon on May 3, 2005 to See ACR’s Queen of Comedy!

4. Introducing “ACR News Online!”

5. What’s Ahead with ACResolution Magazine

6. Access ACR’s Membership Directory Online

7. Section Teleconference Series: Consumer, Family, Crisis Intervention

8. Section News: Crisis Intervention, International, Spirituality, Workplace

9. Chapter News: North Carolina Meeting, Northern California Conference Report

10. Quotations

11. Message from Our Sponsors: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution and Shambhala Institute’s Summer Program module on “Culture, Conflict and Creativity”
    

Note: If the above links do not work, scroll down to view full body below.

• A President-Elect, who will serve a three-year term, one year as President-Elect; one year as President; and one year as Immediate Past President. The ACR Bylaws require a contested election for this position. The candidate with the largest number of votes becomes President-Elect. The candidate with the next-largest number of votes becomes Vice-President and serves a one-year term.

• Four Directors, including a Sections Director, a Chapters Director and two “at large” Directors, who will each serve three-year terms. The Sections and Chapters Directors are elected by the membership to serve as liaisons with the Sections and Chapters, respectively. One of the two “at large” Directors will be elected by the membership and the Board will appoint the other “at large” Director.

The ACR Workplace Section is pleased to announce the new Labor and Employment Arbitrator Advanced Practitioner (AP) designation. A labor and employment arbitrator is a neutral with substantial experience in labor arbitration and/or employment arbitration. This new AP designation represents a significant level of experience beyond the ACR Practitioner level in issues related to workplace grievances and litigated employment disputes. Please go to the ACR website and click on the “Find A Mediator/Arbitrator” button for more information on this new membership category.

3. Tune in to Nickelodeon on May 3, 2005 to See ACR’s Queen of Comedy!

Are you searching for the funniest Mom in America? If so, look no further than ACR’s own Lynne Hurdle-Price!

A founding member of ACR’s Board of Directors, Lynne Hurdle-Price is among the funniest Moms in America. Lynne has recently been pursuing her dream of taking to the stage, and this Tuesday night she will take a significant step towards stardom.

On May 3, at 10:00 p.m. EDT Nickelodeon will broadcast the finals of its “Search for the Funniest Mom in America.” Lynne has made it to the finals and she will be talking about conflict resolution! Lynne has contributed a great deal to our field and to our professional association, and we wish her luck with this opportunity. Congratulations, Lynne!

For more information, please visit:
http://www.tvland.com/nickatnite/
http://www.tvland.com/nickatnite/funniestmom/indexvid.jhtml

4. Introducing “ACR News Online!”

We want to hear from you! ACR wants to share your success stories and celebrate your achievements with the ACR community and the world at large. Send ACR your good news, and appropriate submissions will be in included in “ACR News Online” on the ACR website.

Tell us about:

• Conflict Resolution Success Stories: Whether you are a practitioner, a consumer, a student, a teacher or just a concerned individual, share your testimonials and success stories about Conflict Resolution with us.

• Conflict Resolution and Society: Send us news stories, new research, or current events that highlight the significance of the field in our world today.

• Headlines at ACR: Keeping track of developments at ACR (news about Chapters, Sections, Committees, Task Forces, Board and Staff)!

• ACR Newsmakers: ACR MEMBERS: Have you written a book or received an award recently? ACR wants to celebrate your successes! Share your announcements with the ACR community and the world at large.
  

Please note that we will not share your name on our website if you do not so desire.

Submit your news today at: http://www.ACRnet.org/news/send.htm.

Questions? Contact web@ACRnet.org.

Coming to You in 2005: Exciting ACResolution magazines for Spring, Summer and Fall

The Spring 2005 ACResolution magazines is all about Arbitration and includes exciting articles about how to build a career in arbitration, comparing arbitration and mediation, and the details of securities arbitration, class action arbitration, and writing an arbitration award. Watch your mailbox for this issue to arrive later this month!

The Summer 2005 magazine will cover Family. Thanks to everyone who submitted many great proposals. The magazine will cover issues such as aging parents, high conflict personalities, domestic violence, same-sex couples and more. Advertising deadline for this issue is June 1, 2005; please see http://www.ACRnet.org/advertising/publications.htm or email publications@ACRnet.org for details.

The theme for the Fall 2005 issue is “Spirituality and the Heart of Conflict Resolution” and ACR is now accepting submission proposals. Please send a 2-3 paragraph proposal for consideration no later than June 10, 2005 to Alison Talbott Durland, ACR’s Publications Manager at publications@ACRnet.org.

ACResolution always welcomes submissions for its departments (including “World Views,” “Learning Matters,” and “Online Update”) as well as “Member Milestones” (formerly “Members in the News”) and “Conference Calendar” entries. For submissions and further questions, send an email to publications@ACRnet.org or call 202-464-9700, ext. 230.

6. Access ACR’s Membership Directory Online

A Note on the ACR Membership Directory:

Starting in 2005, ACR now has an online Directory, which allows for up-to-the-minute accuracy. Whenever a member’s contact information is updated in our database, that change is immediately reflected in the online Membership Directory.

Due to our growing membership, the 2004 Directory is now out of date. If you have installed that version of the Directory on your hard drive it appears to have the capability of updating your computer with new membership data; however, this feature is not functional.

The only way to access up-to-the-minute listings of ACR members is to log in to the Online Member Center and click on the link reading “MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY.”

Upcoming Section Teleconferences

Consumer Section Teleconference: Thursday, May 12, 2005 at 1:30 p.m. (EDT)

Join your Consumer Section colleagues for an informative teleconference on “Empathetic Listening vs. Competitive Listening… Listening for the message!” by Irene Becker.

Family Section Telephone Talk: Thursday, May 26, 2005 at 4:30 p.m. (EDT)

Join the Family Section for a Telephone Talk featuring Natalie J. Armstrong of Golden Media. This talk on “Strategic Marketing for Mediators” will provide you with core concepts and strategic perspectives of marketing. Natalie will address basic marketing techniques, including segmenting and targeting customers, developing a unique brand, and making effective advertising decisions. This is an opportunity to develop knowledge about key marketing concepts and the tools required to compete in today’s conflict resolution industry, and to learn how to apply them to practical business situations.

Crisis Intervention Section 2005 Teleseminar Series: “How Do They Do That?”

On June 2, 2005, ACR’s Crisis Intervention Section will inaugurate a five-part Teleseminar Series for Crisis Interveners where experts from law enforcement, workplace, education, family, and the mental health fields will share their top crisis management techniques together with anecdotes from their own experience.

The series kicks off with “Verbal Judo: How Law Enforcement Uses Conflict Resolution on the Streets,” on Thursday, June 2, 2005 at 1 p.m. (EDT). When summer arrives, the heat turns up on cops as neighborhood disputes, domestic violence, and gang warfare emerge from the cold. James T. Shanahan, a decorated veteran of more than 20 years in law enforcement and a national trainer in the art of Verbal Judo, shows how he uses conflict resolution to deal with incidents that cops face every day. Jim is a Senior Instructor for the NYPD, a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and an adjunct professor at John Jay College. Join us for a new look at a familiar technique as Officer Shanahan demonstrates how he combines tactical communications and conflict resolution, using anecdotes from his own experience.

8. News from Sections: Crisis Intervention, International, Spirituality, Workplace

Crisis Intervention Section Launches “WHO WANTS TO KNOW?” Service

Do you have a question about crisis intervention work, need to find a resource, information or research in this field, want talk to an expert or just need someone to brainstorm with? “Who Wants to Know?” will contact experts who will work to help you. Simply email your question to Lynne Kinnucan at kinnucan@patriot.net. You must be an ACR member to take advantage of this resource. Visit the Crisis Intervention Section website for more details.

International Section Leadership Meeting Report and International Day Reminder

The International Section held its first Leadership Meeting at ACR’s office in Washington, D.C. on April 23, 2005. Attendees came from such places as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, and California. At the meeting, a number of exciting initiatives were begun; information about these projects will be available prior to ACR’s Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

On Wednesday, September 28, the International Section will organize and host an “International Day” in conjunction with ACR’s Annual Conference. This event will feature panels providing perspectives on ADR activities around the world and quality time for members to work together to build the Section. Please attend, tell your friends, and help bring ACR to the world, and the world to ACR!

Register Now for the Spirituality Section’s Mid-Year Conference

Registration is open for the Spirituality Section Mid-Year Conference:
“The Next Frontier of Conflict Resolution:
Harnessing Spiritual Intelligence”
May 20, 2005
George Mason University Law School, Arlington, Virginia
Find complete details at: http://www.mediate.com/acrspirituality/pg13.cfm

Attend the conference and enjoy an informative and vibrant discussion on:

• Harnessing Spiritual Intelligence in Our Practices

• Mindfulness in Mediation

• Emotional Intelligence

• Using Appreciative Inquiry in Mediation

Note: Register by May 6th to receive the Early Bird registration rate!

Workplace Section's Labor Arbitration and Mediation Committee and the Employment Arbitration and Mediation Committee to Hold Informational Meeting at National Academy of Arbitrators Conference

The Labor Arbitration and Mediation Committee and the Employment Arbitration and Mediation Committee of the Workplace Section are sponsoring a session titled “NAA-ACR Areas of Collaboration: Past, Present and Future” on Friday, May 27, 2005 from 3:45 until 5:15 p.m. at the National Academy of Arbitrators Spring Meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Jeremy Cohen at jvcohen1936@yahoo.com.

Save the Date: Labor Arbitration and Mediation Committee’s Third Annual Workshop!

The Workplace Section’s Labor Arbitration and Mediation Committee (LAMC) will present its third annual workshop for advanced labor arbitrators on September 28, 2005 at ACR’s Fifth Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Committee Co-Chairs Jeremy V. Cohen, Gary Hattal and Jay Siegel have developed a new one-day, hands-on program on the development and management of a successful labor arbitration practice. If you have any questions, please contact Jeremy Cohen at jvcohen1936@yahoo.com.

Workplace Section Offers Mediator Advanced Practitioner Designation

In addition to the new Labor and Employment Arbitrator Advanced Practitioner designation, the ACR Workplace Section currently offers an AP designation for workplace mediators. For more information about this advanced level of membership, please go to http://www.ACRnet.org/referrals/mediators.htm.

9. News from Chapters: North Carolina Meeting and Northern California Conference Report

ACR – North Carolina Meeting: Monday, May 16, 2005

ACR’s North Carolina Chapter will hold its next meeting on Monday, May 16, 2005 from 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. in Asheville on the UNCA campus–Karpen Hall 101. The discussion will focus on ACR–NC’s mission and member benefits, ones already underway as well as your new ideas.

Following this meeting, there will be a Sneak Preview Lecture by Dr. Bernie Mayer from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., on the UNCA campus (Rhodes Hall, Room 125). Dr. Mayer is the author of Beyond Neutrality: Confronting the Crisis in Conflict Resolution and was a founding member of ACR’s Board of Directors. He will conduct a one-day workshop on “The Heart of Conflict Resolution” on May 17th. For those not registering for this workshop, the cost for the Sneak Preview Lecture is $10. Advance tickets are recommended. For more information on this one-day workshop, or to get tickets for the Sneak Preview Lecture, contact The Mediation Center at 828-251-6089.

ACR – Northern California Chapter: Conference Report

ACR – Northern California Chapter held its 2005 annual conference on Saturday, April 16, 2005, at Headlands Institute and Conference Center in Sausalito, California. Robert R. Stains, Jr., M.Ed., LMFT delivered the keynote speech, titled “From Animosity to Understanding: Creating Conditions for Dialogue.” The sold-out conference featured presentations and workshops by Nancy Hanawi; Edith Ng; Robert R. Stains, Jr., M.Ed., LMFT; Stephen H. Sulmeyer, J.D., Ph.D.; and panel discussions.

At the conference, the 2005 Gil Lopez Award was presented to Carl E. Hopkins, Thom Massey, and Arline Sandi Tyler, and the Chapter’s “Words Not Weapons” video contest was showcased.

11. Message from Our Sponsors: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution and Shambhala Institute’s Summer Program module on “Culture, Conflict and Creativity”

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution - Pepperdine University School of Law
18th Annual Professional Skills Program in Dispute Resolution

June 16, 17, 18, 2005 - Malibu, California

Cost: $995 (early registration prior to May 6 is $895), governmental and non-profit $595.
Participants engage in three days of intensive skills instruction and practice in one focused area. Each program includes lectures, small group discussions and practice exercises. Choose one from the following twelve workshops:

• Advanced Mediation: Skills and Techniques

• “STAR” A Systematic Approach to Mediation Strategies

• Mediating Complex Construction Disputes

• Mindfulness in Law and Dispute Resolution

• Specialized Mediation: Handling Challenging Employment, Medical Malpractice and PI Cases

• The Protean Mediator as Leader: Advanced Problem Solving Theory and Design

• Negotiation and Settlement Skills

• Cultural and Gender Issues in Dispute Resolution

• Ombuds Programs as Emerging Models for Dispute Resolution

• Advocacy in Settlement Processes

• Designing Dispute Resolution Systems in the Workplace

• Employment Arbitration Skills

For more information contact Lori Rushford at (310) 506-6342 or go to http://www.StrausInstitute.com

Culture, Conflict & Creativity
with Michelle LeBaron

An 18-hour module within the Authentic Leadership Summer Program
June 24-July 1, 2005
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Cultivate the skills and cultural fluency needed to resolve long-standing, intractable, or recurrent conflicts. Michelle LeBaron is the director of the UBC Program on Dispute Resolution and the author of Bridging Troubled Waters and Bridging Cultural Conflicts.

Other program faculty include Margaret Wheatley (Leadership and the New Science), Harrison Owen (Open Space Technology), and Adam Kahane (Solving Tough Problems).

Go to http://www.shambhalainstitute.org or call 902-425-0492.

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