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

To view this issue online, go to: http://www.ACRnet.org/publications/acrupdate.htm

OVERVIEW OF ARTICLES
June 1, 2005

1. Registration NOW OPEN for ACR’s Fifth Annual Conference!
2. Participants Wanted--Conflict Resolution Day
3. ACResolution Magazine Call for Proposals
4. Section Teleconference Series: Crisis Intervention and Spirituality
5. Section News: International and Workplace Sections
6. Chapter News: Greater New York Chapter
7. Quotations
8. Message from Our Sponsor: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution

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

Online registration is now open for ACR’s Fifth Annual Conference, “Conflict Resolution in a Changing World: Building the Practice and Fostering Hope!” For information about the conference and hotel and a full schedule of the 2005 program: http://www.ACRnet.org/conferences/ac05/

http://www.ACRnet.org/conferences/ac05/

The Annual Conference begins on Thursday, September 29 and concludes on Saturday, October 1, and features workshops for seasoned practitioners as well as those new to the field; fun networking events; a Spanish Track and exciting speakers such as John Paul Lederach.

Be sure to notice this year’s lineup of pre-conference activities on Wednesday, September 28. The 2005 Program Committee has thoughtfully selected half-day and full-day sessions addressing the needs of professional ADR practitioners in broadening their knowledge of the field and honing their skills.

Pre-conference highlights: Jeremy Cohen is back this year with “Growing and Managing a Labor Arbitration Practice,” while Mary Skelton-Roberts offers “Diversity Mentoring and Coaching” and Nina Meierding presents “Advanced Mediation Skills.” “Culturally Fluent Mediation” by Michelle LeBaron and colleagues will address an obviously compelling topic. These sessions will fill up fast, so register for them when you register for the Conference. Check descriptions as some pre-conference sessions may have restrictions.

International Day: Also on Wednesday, September 28, ACR’s International Section has pulled together a full day of stimulating workshops and panels that will include such topics as “Restorative Justice in Colombia” by Maria Lucia Zapata and “Conciliation in Peru” by William Franz Tufino Pijo, topped off by a gala international reception at the Hyatt Hotel the same evening, on the eve of the Annual Conference. “International Day” activities are open to all without charge; registration not required. Watch the ACR website for a complete listing of the day’s activities.

ACR has designated October 20, 2005 as “Conflict Resolution Day!” This day will increase public awareness about mediation, arbitration, conciliation and other creative, peaceful means of resolving conflict. As part of this effort, ACR is reaching out to local, state and international groups to build interest in holding Conflict Resolution Day events across the country and around the world. Having multiple celebrations occur on or around the same day will help conflict resolvers promote the field and educate the public about what conflict resolution offers them.

In order to make the most of Conflict Resolution Day’s potential, ACR needs your help. If you or your community is planning an event or activity, please let us know so that we can help promote your celebration on ACR’s website. If you are a member of an ACR Section or Chapter, you may want to contact the leaders of those groups for information on how they are planning to celebrate Conflict Resolution Day, and how to get involved. No events planned? How about suggesting your Section or Chapter hold an event.

If you would like to promote your (organization’s) events or activities on our website, please email the following information to acr@ACRnet.org and place ‘Conflict Resolution Day’ in the subject line:

• Name of Event
• City
• State
• Description of event
• Sponsoring Organization(s)
• Contact name and email address

For more information, including a list of ideas on how to celebrate Conflict Resolution Day, visit the ACR website at http://www.ACRnet.org/crday.

CALL FOR ARTICLE PROPOSALS:
“Spirituality and the Heart of Conflict Resolution”
For ACResolution Fall 2005 Issue

ACR’s fall 2005 issue of ACResolution magazine will focus on the topic of “Spirituality and the Heart of Conflict Resolution.” The editors seek proposals from people who would like to write articles on any aspect of this topic. They seek diversity in authors and subject matter; authors do not have to be ACR members.

If interested, please write a half-page description of your proposed article and include your name, contact information and one to three lines of biographical information. Specify if you would like to write a major (3,000 words) or minor (1,500 words) feature. Send your proposals via email to ACResolution Managing Editor Alison T. Durland at publications@ACRnet.org no later than June 10.

An editorial advisory committee will review the proposals and choose 2–3 major features and 2–3 minor features. All authors will be notified by the end of June. If selected, completed articles will be due to Alison by August 1.

The Winter 2006 issue will focus on Community ADR (proposals due by September 10) and the Spring 2006 issue will focus on Marketing ADR (proposals due by December 10).

http://www.ACRnet.org/publications/acresolution.htm

Upcoming Section Teleconferences

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.

Spirituality Section:

June 9, 3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT
Daniel Bowling and Dana Curtis will speak on “Reflective Mediation Practice.”

The task of becoming a mediator begins with the development of specific skills and, for serious mediators, then moves into an interest in developing an understanding of mediation theory. To realize our potential as mediators, we must shift our focus to developing our personal qualities as mediators--an area too often neglected in our practice. Who we are as human beings has tremendous impact on what happens in mediation, and developing the ability to reflect on our experience and mistakes, to learn and to translate this learning into action is essential to a vital personal and professional life. Daniel Bowling and Dana Curtis will guide a discussion of these important distinctions and offer approaches to developing our mediator qualities through reflective practice. For more information visit: http://www.mediate.com/acrspirituality/pg11.cfm.

International Day Kicks Off Annual Conference

Presenters from nearly 20 countries will participate in the International Section’s International Day, a free full-day event on September 28. This event will promote the exchange of ideas and greater connectivity among conflict resolution practitioners around the world. Presentations will cover everything from Israel/Palestine and peace education in the western hemisphere to international Fulbright Scholars reflecting on practices in the United States and panels of leading arbitrators and mediators. Come early to the ACR Annual Conference, enjoy this remarkable free opportunity, and help open the ACR Annual Conference as a world event!

Annual Conference Spanish Track Features John Paul Lederach

The International Section is honored to announce that John Paul Lederach will conduct a closing mini-plenary in Spanish as part of the Spanish Track at the 2005 Annual Conference in Minneapolis. We encourage ACR members to spread the word to Spanish speaking and bi-lingual colleagues about the excellent programming of which John Paul Lederach’s mini-plenary is an example.

ACR Workplace Section Announces New “Labor and Employment Arbitrator” Advanced Practitioner
Effective May 1, 2005

The ACR Workplace Section is pleased to announce the first Advanced Practitioner category for Labor and Employment Arbitrators. A labor and employment arbitrator is a neutral with substantial experience in labor arbitration, employment arbitration, or either arbitration practices. This AP represents a significant level of experience in issues related to those workplace grievances and litigated employment disputes beyond the ACR Practitioner level designation.

If you have substantive questions, please contact Workplace Section Co-Chair Nancy E. Peace at 978-462-3266 or npeace@igc.org. For application and standards information and forms, please visit: http://www.ACRnet.org/referrals/ap-workplace_arb.htm. If you have any difficulties downloading the application and standards, contact Anne-Marie Burton, ACR Sections Manager (email: sections@ACRnet.org, tel.: 202-464-9700, ext. 247).

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.

Save the date: Workplace Section/LAMC’s Third Annual Workshop

The Labor Arbitration and Mediation Committee (LAMC) of the Workplace Section 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 Cohen, Gary Hattal and Jay Siegel promise this year’s offering will not be a remake of the past workshops but will be a one-day, hands-on program on the development and management of a successful labor arbitration practice. If you have any questions, please contact Jeremy V. Cohen (email: jvcohen1936@yahoo.com).

The Greater New York Chapter’s Annual Conference, “ADR: Wave of the Future or False Prophecy?” will be held on Friday, June 17, 2005 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. The Keynote Speaker is Bernie Mayer, author of Beyond Neutrality and founding Board Director of ACR. The opening plenary speaker is Robert A. Baruch Bush, co-author of the new, revised The Promise of Mediation: The Transformative Approach to Conflict.

At this conference, the Chapter’s ADR Achievement Award will be given to one of the country’s most highly esteemed mediators, Theodore Kheel. In addition, attendees will be able to select from among fourteen workshops on topics ranging from mediation and domestic violence to “Stretching Your Mediation Muscles.” For more information, or to register, visit the Chapter website at http://www.acrgny.org.

8. Message from Our Sponsor: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution
Pepperdine University School of Law
Upcoming Training Programs:

For more information contact Lori Rushford at (310) 506-6342 or lori.rushford@pepperdine.edu; or visit our Website at: http://www.StrausInstitute.com

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