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>> ACR Update, February 5, 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 -- we hope you'll find this
information useful. We look forward to your feedback!

CONTENTS OF ACR UPDATE
February 5, 2002

[1] Uniform Mediation Act Status Update
* Letter from ACR President and CEO

[2] ACR Membership Update
*ACR Launches Member-Get-A-Member Campaign

[3] ACR Conferences and Programs Update
* ACR Family Section Conference
* Announcing the ACR Environmental/Public Policy Conference

[4] Communications Update
* Conflict Resolution Quarterly Solicits Reader Feedback
* Call for Submissions ACResolution

[5] ACR Chapter News
* DC-ACR Chapter Announces Professional Development Conference

[6] Featured ACR Product
* "Best Practices for Government Agencies: Guidelines for Using Collaborative Agreement-Seeking Processes"

[7] Article Excerpt from Conflict Resolution Quarterly
* "Transnational Conflict Resolution Practice: A Brief Introduction to the Context, Issues and Search for Best Practice in the Export of Conflict Resolution," by Doug Yarn.

[8] Call for Submissions
* Call for Anthology Submissions: Practitioners Research and Scholarship Institute (PRASI)

[9] ACR Solicits Reader Feedback

[10] Quotes
* Judith M. Knowlton
* Eleanor Roosevelt
* Jim Rohn
* Charles Swindoll

[11] Messages from Our Sponsors

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[1] Uniform Mediation Act (UMA) Status Update
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Dear Conflict Resolution Professional,

We are writing to bring you up to date on the status of the Uniform Mediation Act and Association for Conflict Resolution's work in that regard. The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws adopted the UMA in August 2001 and the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates will consider a resolution endorsing the UMA at their February meeting.

Since this Act directly affects the work of our members, ACR leaders have been integrally involved in helping to shape the content of this important proposed legislation. Many of you are familiar with the UMA and have followed its progress over time. However, for those of you who may be new to this issue, the basic purpose of the UMA is to support the growth and development of mediation by promoting uniformity across the states. A major focus of the act is the creation of a privilege that provides confidentiality of mediation communications from use in future legal
proceedings. There are several exceptions and a number of other points contained in the UMA.

ACR is engaged in a process of carefully reviewing the final version of the UMA. This review is based on the Eleven Principles that two of our predecessor organizations (AFM and SPIDR) and ACR adopted, and that our official observers articulated to the drafters throughout this process. ACR anticipates concluding the review process by the May 2002 ACR Board of Directors meeting. At this point, ACR neither endorses nor opposes the final version of the UMA.

In a conference call on January 28, 2002, ACR leaders talked extensively with leaders of the ABA Dispute Resolution Section. The call was an
important and productive step in the ongoing collaborative dialogue between the ABA and ACR.

We will keep you informed as developments occur. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our two
Official Observers, Gregory Firestone (firestoneg@aol.com) and Dennis Sharp (Dennis@SharpResolutions.com).

To view the entire text of the Uniform Mediation Act, please see:
http://www.nccusl.org

To view the eleven ACR UMA principles, please see:
http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/umaprinciples

To view ACR's response to the UMA draft, please see:
http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/umaresponse020402

Sincerely,

Arnold Shienvold, Ph.D.
President, Association for Conflict Resolution

David Hart,
Chief Executive Officer, Association for Conflict Resolution

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[2] ACR Member-Get-A-Member Campaign!
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ACR Member-Get-A-Member Campaign!

Did you know that you receive a $10 discount on your dues for every new member you recruit for ACR?

Simply ask the new member to list your name as the referral source on his or her membership application. When your membership comes up for renewal, your dues will reflect the reduced rate. For example, if you’re a general member of ACR and you recruit one new member, your dues will be reduced from $120 to $110 for the coming year. If you can recruit one new member a month, your dues for the coming year will be paid in full!

Anyone who recruits five or more members between January 1 and June 1, 2002 will be listed in the ACR 2002 annual conference program and receive special recognition at the President’s Luncheon, held during the annual conference. As an added recruitment incentive, ACR will award a free conference registration for the 2002 annual conference to the person who recruits the greatest number of members. For more information, contact ACR Membership Coordinator Fred Mangels by phone at 202-667-9700, ext. 245, or by e-mail at fmangels@acresolution.org.

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[3] ACR Conferences and Programs Update
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ACR Family Section Conference
February 28-March 2, 2002
Marriott Riverfront, Savannah, GA (912-233-7722)
"The Many Faces of Family Mediation" will be held at the Marriott Riverfront in Savannah, Georgia, February 28-March 2, 2002. The Family Section Conference brochure and full registration form are available on the ACR Web site, http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/conferences. Also, be sure to check out our exhibiting opportunities. Please make your reservations now -- room rates are only guaranteed until February 4th!

Announcing the ACR Environmental/Public Policy Section Conference
May 16 - May 18, 2002
Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, AZ
The conference, which will be held at the Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, is sure to be an event you'll want to attend. The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (USIECR) is holding their conference just prior to the ACR Section's in the same location, creating a combination that promises to provide an exceptional experience. The conference brochures will be available online (http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/conferences) and in hard copy in early March. If you would like a hard copy, please contact the ACR Conferences and Programs department, or send your complete mailing address to conferences@acresolution.org.

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[4] Communications Update
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Conflict Resolution Quarterly (CRQ) Solicits Reader Feedback

Conflict Resolution Quarterly (formerly Mediation Quarterly), the journal of ACR, publishes scholarship on relationships between theory, research, and practice in the conflict management and dispute resolution field in order to promote more effective professional practice. The defining focus of the journal is the relationship between theory, research and practice. Volume 19:3, which members will receive in April 2002, will provide readers with valuable articles in the areas of family and community mediation. Renowned scholar-practitioners engage in an important discussion about the exportation of conflict resolution models and practices to countries outside North America. And, the commentary feature raises important issues of the state of ethics in the field of conflict management and dispute resolution.

We encourage CRQ readers to send feedback about the journal to Tricia S. Jones, Editor-in-Chief, at tsjones@astro.temple.edu. Readers may also send comments in response to specific articles for publication in the “Readers’ Response” section of CRQ -- a new feature of the journal that will begin in volume 20. For information about the format for Readers’ Response contributions, and submission procedures for papers, please consult the CRQ Call for Papers document on the ACR web site at http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/CRQ-callforpapers, or contact the editor at the above-noted e-mail address.

Call for Submissions ACResolution

We are eager to receive member contributions to ACR’s new organizational magazine, ACResolution, which launched in October, 2001. The July 2002 issue will examine issues related to the environment and conflict resolution, and the October 2002 issue will focus on conflict resolution and education. The deadline for submissions to the July 2002 issue is March 29. Submissions should be e-mailed with complete contact information to ACR Publications Manager Susan Williams at swilliams@acresolution.org, or may also be sent on an IBM-compatible disk to Publications Manager, ACR, 1527 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20036. Please note that ACR reserves the right not to publish any submission for any reason, and that submissions accepted for publication may be edited for space and conformity to accepted standards of language usage, grammar, and punctuation.

We welcome your contributions to the following departments:

Balancing Act focuses on members who are committed to ‘walking the talk’ of conflict resolution and developing themselves as whole persons, both inside and outside the workplace. Submissions of 150-250 words and photos should highlight an after-hours activity or hobby that enables you to feel centered and grounded outside of your busy life as a conflict resolver. Please tell us about how this activity or hobby revitalizes you, helps you achieve balance in your personal life, feeds your intellect, and nurtures your soul.

What Would You Do? Ethical dilemmas? Seemingly intractable conflicts? Trouble “walking the talk” with colleagues, partners, family members? Your own biases and expectations getting in the way? Please describe (in 250 words or less) an experience that raised a question for you regarding effective conflict resolution practice. Senior practitioners in the field will respond to your queries with suggestions and advice.

Voices is a one-page collection of quotations about conflict resolution and peacemaking that relate to a particular issue’s theme. Please send us quotes related to our field that you find compelling and educational.

Letters to the Editor are both welcome and encouraged as a means of enhancing the dialogue between ACResolution and its readers. (ACResolution reserves the right to edit letters for space.) If an article or column encourages or frustrates you, we want to hear about it!

General interest columns may include: Section and Chapter news, members in the news (awards, personnel moves, etc.), and calendar information (conferences and other events related to conflict resolution).
National and Regional Legislative and Public Policy Updates. Please help us raise member awareness by submitting updates and highlights of conflict resolution-related legislative and public policy news found in the local, regional, and national media.
Best Practices in Diversity and Conflict Resolution -- New!
Starting with the April 2002 issue of ACResolution, a new quarterly column on diversity will highlight practical strategies for training conflict resolution professionals in specific cross-cultural and diversity skills, describe model approaches to resolving complex disputes in various U.S. subcultures and abroad, and present case studies of programs and interventions in the field of diversity and conflict resolution. Each “best practice” chosen for publication will be introduced by Dr. Benjamin D. Reese, Jr., who has worked in the field of race-relations, cross-cultural communication, and diversity training for more than 30 years. To contribute to this new column, please send 500- to 600-word descriptions of innovative and successful strategies/programs/models/case studies that further the practice of conflict resolution and diversity, or the training of conflict resolution professionals who work with diverse populations. Submissions for this column should be sent to Dr. Reese at reesources1@aol.com.

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[5] ACR Chapter News
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DC-ACR 7th Annual Professional Development Conference
April 17, 2002
9:00-5:30 pm

The ACR District of Columbia Chapter will present its 7th Annual Professional Development Conference on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at the National Institutes of Health William H. Natcher Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland. This conference will help participants build upon their ADR skills and introduce them to an array of exciting practice areas. The keynote speaker is Christopher Moore, the internationally renowned author of the classic textbook on mediation, The Mediation Process. Moore’s address is titled “Multiculturalism and the ADR Process.” In a rapidly changing world, conflict resolution experts face a multitude of issues in their ADR practices, including working with individuals of highly diverse cultural backgrounds. Rather than being an impediment or source of impasse during the mediation process, multiculturalism can be used effectively as a dynamic element to move the dispute resolution process forward. To register for this one-day event, or to request a conference brochure, please call the DC ACR Hotline: 202-822-1158.

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[6] Featured ACR Product
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ACR, and our founding organizations (AFM, CREnet, and SPIDR), have developed a number of conflict resolution products that reflect the wide range of interests and practice areas of our members. In each ACR Update, we will feature one of these products.

This issue's featured product is:
"Best Practices for Government Agencies: Guidelines for Using Collaborative Agreement-Seeking Processes," by the SPIDR Environment/Public Disputes Sector Critical Issues Committee.

These 1997 guidelines were proposed by SPIDR for government-sponsored collaborative approaches that seek agreement on issues of public policy. A series of recommendations are put forward to help ensure successful use of collaborative processes for decision-making by federal, state, provincial, and territorial government officials.

This document is available through www.acresolution.org for $10.00 ($6.00 for ACR members). To order, click here: http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/REP-GovAg

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[7] Article Excerpt from Conflict Resolution Quarterly
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We are committed to educating our members and the general public about conflict resolution. Therefore, in each ACR Update, we will feature an article excerpt that we think will be of value to our members.

This issue's featured article excerpt is one that will be printed in its entirety in the next issue of Conflict Resolution Quarterly, ACR's journal: "Transnational Conflict Resolution Practice: A Brief Introduction to the Context, Issues, and Search for Best Practice in the Export of Conflict Resolution," by Doug Yarn.

“In contrast to a decade of emerging transnational practice, historians might label the last decade of the 20th Century the 'Age of Conflict Resolution Imperialism.' For many in this still nascent discipline and profession, a new world of opportunity suddenly opened up. Fervent in their faith, some went like missionaries from the Church of Mediation, if not from some actual religious denomination, eager to spread the word and find converts. Some went as mercenaries, the 'wild geese' of conflictology for hire, seeking fame and fortune. Still others went as well-meaning bureaucrats, working for governments, international organizations, and private organizations to extend the reach of an empire of peace and the civilizing influences of good conflict management. Although few of us had the opportunity to work at the official diplomatic levels referenced by the Global Coalition for Africa report, many of us were active at the grassroots levels. Like 19th Century imperialists, we had various motivations, and our actions had both positive and negative consequences, but as a general rule, we had good intentions and felt righteous in our cause, because after over several decades of a conflict resolution revolution at home, we knew something about resolving conflict. Didn’t we?
In retrospect, we knew very little and continue to know little about the efficacy and impact of third-party intervention and other conflict resolution reforms in the U.S. and Canada. We know much less about the efficacy and impact of attempts to transplant such intervention strategies and reforms into other societies and cultures; however, we are certainly at a point at which we should start discussing these 'out-of-country' experiences of North American practitioners.”

The entire article by Doug Yarn will appear in Volume 19:3 of Conflict Resolution Quarterly (CRQ), which members will receive in April 2002. CRQ is an ACR member benefit. Click here to learn more about ACR membership: http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/reasons

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[8] Call for Submissions
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Call for Anthology Submissions: Conflict Resolution and Multiculturalism

The Practitioners Research and Scholarship Institute (PRASI) is seeking submissions for an anthology of multicultural resource materials and writings that advance new learning from the field of peacemaking and conflict resolution. So, if your work involves conflict resolution, social justice, peacemaking, or mediation, please consider making a contribution. Submissions that place previously marginalized voices or experiences at the center of the discussion are especially welcome.

Submissions may be in the form of 2,500- to 7,500-word papers (Microsoft Word or WordPerfect; in hard copy and PC compatible disk) or audiocassette tapes (up to 20 minutes). A one-page abstract or summary must accompany all submissions. Please advise PRASI of any previous submissions or publications of the work. Review of materials will begin on April 1, 2002. Please send inquiries or submissions to: S. Y. Bowland, Consultant Director, PRASI, 7365 Old National Highway, Suite B, Riverdale, GA 30296. (Phone: 770-997-2223; fax: 770-997-8949; e-mail: TPRASI@aol.com)

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[9] Reader Feedback
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We are interested in receiving your feedback. What do you think of ACR Update? ACResolution? Conflict Resolution Quarterly? Annual and Section Conferences? The ACR Web site and Web-based services? How can we ensure that ACR better serves you, our members?

Please e-mail your feedback or your suggestion for items to include in future editions of ACR Update, to feedback@acresolution.org (Please note that any feedback you send in may be featured in future issues of ACR Update).

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[10] Quotes
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"I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it's only a choice of attitude."-- Judith M. Knowlton

"One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes... In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility." -- Eleanor Roosevelt

"I have found that sometimes the subtle difference in our attitude, which of course can make a major difference in our future, can be as simple as the language we use. The difference in even how you talk to yourself or others. Consciously making a decision to quit saying what you don't want and to start saying what you do want. I call that faith. Believing the best, hoping for the best and moving toward the best." -- Jim Rohn

"Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home." -- Charles Swindoll

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[11] Messages from Our Sponsors
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----- ---- --- -- -> A Message From Our Sponsor <- -- --- ---- ----

Save the Date: June 10&11, 2002
Colorado School Meditation Project's
11th Annual Violence Prevention in School Communities Conference
"Safe and Peaceful Communities: Now More Than Ever"
Denver, CO

Workshops On: Safe and Successful Learning Environments; Diversity and Anti-bias Approaches; Security and Crisis Management; Just for Youth; After School Programs and Community Collaborations; Restorative Justice Strategies; Conflict Resolution and Social/Emotional Skills; Violence Prevention and Resiliency

For: Counselors, Educators, Law Enforcement Community, Youth, Mediators, School
Administrators, Parents, and Youth Service Organizations.

Co-Sponsored By:
Association for Conflict Resolution
Colorado Department of Education
Colorado Forum On Community and Restorative Justice

For More Information contact Colorado School Mediation Project, 303-444-7671, 1-877-853-5402 or visit www.csmp.org

----- ---- --- -- -> A Message From Our Sponsor <- -- --- ---- ----

N A T I O N W I D E O P P O R T U N I T Y FOR ARBITRATORS AND MEDIATORS
Construction Arbitration & Mediation Services (CAMS) is seeking arbitrators and mediators for our Construction Panel (home warranty, home inspection and construction disputes). In order to be considered for this exciting opportunity, please e-mail your bio or resume to arbitrator@bellsouth.net or mail a hard copy to CAMS, P.O.Box 23390, Charlotte, NC 28227.

----- ---- --- -- -> A Message From Our Sponsor <- -- --- ---- ----

"THIS AD COULD BE YOURS!" Reach 5,000+ conflict resolution
enthusiasts with your advertising message. Get more details by clicking the
link below:

http://acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/advertise

----- ---- --- -- -> A Message From Our Sponsor <- -- --- ---- ----

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Resolution! Immediate Benefits: See http://acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/reasons
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Copyright 2001, Association for Conflict Resolution
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