This past year has been extraordinarily productive for the Institute. During our third year of operation, we have produced more than 16 research papers, presented at more than 15 conferences, and continued to improve our research projects and find new opportunities for service, teaching, and research within the field.

The Indiana Conflict Resolution Institute (ICRI) was established in 1997. Indiana University provided the Institute with initial funding through the Strategic Directions Initiative. In 1998, the Institute received continuing funding from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The Institute receives additional funding through grants and contracts with public and private organizations.

Institute staff is comprised of faculty and doctoral, graduate and undergraduate students from a number of disciplines and schools on the IU campus, including the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) and the IU Law School. We are particularly proud of our students who have graduated from IU and are now working in nonprofit and public agencies using their skills in conflict resolution.

Our vision is to improve alternative dispute resolution (ADR) programs. Towards this vision, we evaluate conflict resolution programs and processes at the federal, state, and local levels, thus providing feedback for program administrators, consumers, and neutrals. At the same time, through our research and service mission, we help to educate the program administrators of the future and provide tools for practitioners and policy makers.

Lisa B. Bingham

Director

Rosemary O'Leary

Principal Investigator

Lisa-Marie Napoli

Administrative Director

II. Institute Projects

ICRI operates in three spheres of public service: nationally in research on the federal sector, regionally within Indiana state government, and locally within Indiana University and the surrounding community. The goal of our research projects is to provide insight to practitioners and academics alike. Support from the Hewlett Foundation has made significant contributions to the Institute's ability to conduct research projects, collaborate with practitioners and academics, and provide service-learning opportunities for students.

NATIONAL PROJECTS

ICRI focuses on the evaluation of conflict resolution in public policy and management. Federal agencies provide excellent opportunities to contribute to the growing field of systematic research.

Evaluating Mediation of Employment Disputes at the United States Postal Service

The Institute is conducting a multi-year “before and after” study of the implementation of the United States Postal Service (USPS) workplace mediation program called REDRESS^TM (Resolve Employment Disputes Reach Equitable Solutions Swiftly). When REDRESS^TM was first implemented as a pilot program in October 1994, the National Program Manager of REDRESS^TM (then Alternative Dispute Resolution Counsel) contracted with the Institute to design an independent evaluation of the pilot program. This work has grown into five-year research collaboration between Indiana University and the USPS. Last year’s annual report omitted mention of additional funding in the amount of approximately $120,000 to support these projects during the past year.

Climate and Conflict Management at the USPS

Researchers at the Institute are now completing the “after” REDRESS^TM interviews to determine the impact of REDRESS^TM upon climate and conflict management at the USPS. Institute researchers have traveled to Cleveland, New York and San Francisco, to interview three different samples of USPS employees, all randomly selected participants from all levels of the organization. Thus far, in the “after” interviews, researchers have conducted confidential one‑on‑one interviews with a total of over 200 respondents. They are almost complete with the transcriptions of the interviews. In addition, they are designing a data entry protocol for coding the qualitative interview responses and are setting up the database to enter the data.

Exit Surveys

The Institute is also measuring the impact of the REDRESS^TM program by collecting data from participants in each mediation session. All participants in REDRESS^TM mediations fill out confidential exit surveys and mail the surveys to the Institute. Thus far, the Institute has received and entered over thirty-four thousand exit surveys. The exit surveys allow Institute researchers to determine how satisfied employees and supervisors were with the mediator, the process, and the outcome. During the summer of 1999, Institute staff designed a sophisticated Microsoft Access database to allow for the data entry and analysis of this large volume of exit surveys.

Data Tracking Surveys

The Institute continues to collect information about the number of Exit Surveys distributed to track response rate information. This information is entered into a database and compared with the exit survey information for research validity.

Dispute Resolution Specialist Surveys

In the fall of 1999, Institute staff conducted an e-mail survey of USPS Dispute Resolution Specialists to elicit detailed information about the REDRESS^TM mediation experience. These results depict implementation of transformative mediation as successful. The information was useful in providing feedback to the United States Postal Service Headquarters and also in the design of a mediator survey.

Mediator Surveys

This survey will be sent out to USPS REDRESS^TM mediators to assess how mediators perceive transformative mediation behaviors. These responses will be compared to the original intentions of transformative mediation to assess the implementation of this model of mediation. The results will be used to gain insights on transformative mediation and will be reported to USPS Headquarters. During this past year, Institute staff designed and pilot-tested the survey. The survey has now been completed, and the Institute staff will administer it this summer.

Conflict Management and USPS Supervisors

The purpose of this dissertation research project is to gain precise information about how USPS Supervisors manage conflict in the workplace. The target group of supervisors will be randomly selected from the main postal plant facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. This research design targets USPS supervisors and interviews them one-on-one about their conflict management techniques and the impacts of training and mediation on these techniques.

Complaint Filings

Institute staff created a new database containing over five years of data on formal and informal EEO complaints before and after the REDRESSÔ mediation program. This dataset is broken down by zip code, accounting period (13 per year), and fiscal year. Preliminary analysis shows a statistically significant drop in formal filings after the inception of the mediation program.

Cost Benefit Analysis

Institute staff members have collected data for a cost benefit analysis of the REDRESSÔ mediation program.

REDRESS II

Institute staff designed data collection tools for the expansion of the REDRESSÔ mediation program into a similar program for formal EEO complaints, called REDRESS II. This research will be launched in the coming months.

News articles:

Federal EEO Advisor, Dec. 16, 1999, Vol. 2, No. 11, headline "Agencies on Tight Deadline to Design ADR Programs." Relevant quote: "The Postal Service is another agency that has done a tremendous amount of ADR research. The agency's program has been evaluated through thousands of exit surveys conducted by Indiana University, showing that 90 percent of supervisors, employees, and employee representatives were pleased with the process and their mediators. More than 70 percent were satisfied with the outcome of mediation. The Postal Service program is among the largest in the federal sector and will be available to employees nationwide by January."

Federal EEO Advisor, Aug. 19, 1999, Vol. 2, No. 7, headline "ADR saves Agencies Millions." The story covers ADR awards made by the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Relevant quote: "Honorable Mention: In addition to the awards for 'outstanding programs,' OPM handed out four 'honorable mention' prizes. The U.S. Postal Service received an award for its REDRESS program, which has been evaluated through thousands of exit surveys conducted for the agency by Indiana University."

Federal Human Resources Week, Aug. 12, 1999, Vol. 6, No. 16: Relevant quote again regarding the OPM awards: "The awards ceremony was at OPM headquarters in Washington, DC. Attorney General Janet Reno, who was keynote speaker, congratulated the winners as well as all the agencies that submitted applications. In addition to the awards for "outstanding programs,' OPM handed out four "honorable mention" prizes. The U.S. Postal Service received an award for its REDRESS program, which has been evaluated through thousands of exit surveys conducted for the agency by Indiana University. The surveys show that 90 percent of supervisors, employees, and employee representatives were pleased with the process and their mediators and over 70 percent were satisfied with the outcome of mediation. The program, which is expanding nationwide, should be available to all postal employees by January 2000."

Articles and Presentations (Note: * Indicates that the paper is included in the Appendix)

*Bingham, L.B. and Napoli, L. M. (Forthcoming 2000). "Employment Dispute Resolution and Workplace Culture: The REDRESS Program at the United States Postal Service," in Breger, M. and Schatz, J. (eds.), The Federal Alternative Dispute Resolution Deskbook, pp. __-__. Washington, DC: The American Bar Association. Chapter invited in 1998, submitted in 1999, and now in press.

*Bingham, L.B., Chesmore, G., Moon, Y., and Napoli, L.M., (Forthcoming 2000) “Mediating Employment Disputes At The United States Postal Service: A Comparison Of In-House And Outside Neutral Mediator Models” in press at the Review of Public Personnel Administration.

Society for Professionals in Dispute Resolution 1999 Conference, Baltimore, MD, Sept. 22-25, 1999. Lisa Bingham and Lisa-Marie Napoli served as panelists for “Changing Workplace Culture: Lessons learned from Mediation of Employment Disputes at the United States Postal Service.” Over 1000 SPIDR members attended this panel. It sparked lively comments and contributions from the attendees.

Bingham, L. B. (1999). Mediator Roundtable: Feedback from Mediators in the USPS REDRESSÔ Program. Thursday, September 23, 1999, at the 1999 Conference of the Society for Professionals in Dispute Resolution.

Invited Colloquium: Bingham, L. B. (1999). Evaluating Federal ADR Programs, presented as invited colloquium to the Federal ADR Evaluation Working Group, at the headquarters of the United States Postal Service, Washington, DC, on June 21, 1999.

Invited Talk: Bingham, L. B. (1999). Panelist in session entitled “Transformative Mediation: How Do We Assess its Impact?” sponsored by the Theory to Practice Project at the Wisconsin Association of Mediators 1999 Conference, Madison, WI on Friday, November 12, 1999.

Invited Talk: Brown, G.V. Presented a session entitled “Conflict Resolution: Questions and Controversies” at the 1999 Indiana Mediation Roundtable on October 28, 1999, sponsored by the Indiana State Bar Association. The presentation focused on research and analysis of the USPS REDRESSÔ program.

Invited Talk: Napoli, L.M. Presented a session about the Indiana Conflict Resolution Institute and research on “Transformative Mediation” at the Positive Approaches to Violence Prevention: Peacebuilding in Schools and Communities Conference sponsored primarily by the IU School of Education, August 14, 2000.

USPS papers prepared this year and accepted for presentation at the International Association of Conflict Management Conference in June, 2000:

*Napoli, L.M., “United States Postal Service Supervisors And Perceptions Of Conflict Management Techniques.”

*Nabatchi, T., and Bingham, L.B., “Transformative Mediation in the USPS REDRESSÔ Program: Observations of ADR Specialists.”

*Moon, Y., and Bingham, L.B., “Transformative Mediation at Work: Employee and Supervisor Perceptions.”

*Raines, S., Kim, K., and Bingham, L.B., "The Impact of Representatives on Mediation Duration and Settlement in the REDRESSÔ Program at the United States Postal Service."

*Bingham, L.B. and Novac, M.C., “Mediation’s Impact on Formal Discrimination Complaint Filing: Before and After The REDRESSÔ Program at the United States Postal Service.”

Papers submitted to Industrial Relations Research Association Annual Meeting (January, 2001):

*Kim, K., Raines, S., and Bingham, L.B., submitted "Employment Mediation: Exploring the Role of Representation at the USPS.”

Evaluating the Ombuds Program at the National Institutes of Health

In March 1998, the Institute began an evaluation of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Cooperative Resolution (CCR) pilot ombudsman program. With a change of personnel in the ombudsman office, the CCR decided to terminate the data collection in December 1998. Professor Bingham and Institute staff then worked with the Center to create a case-tracking database that the CCR could use to collect case information and produce annual reports on the case loads and outcomes of the CCR intervention. The Institute also provided the NIH CCR office with a report on the few surveys returned to the Institute before NIH terminated data collection, as well as a manual for the CCR Ombudsman case-tracking database. This project was completed in March 2000.

Evaluating Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission Programs

In a new program funded this year in the amount of $38,823, the Institute is evaluating the effectiveness and administration of the Settlement Part and E-Z Trial programs at the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC). The data collection includes interviews with key OSHRC stakeholders, including judges, administrative staff and attorneys. The interviews have already begun. Archival research will be collected and surveys will be sent out to assess the two different programs. The research will continue through the fall of 2000 and reports of the results submitted to OSHRC by the end of the year.

Evaluating the Use of Dispute Resolution Techniques in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Enforcement Activities

With the cooperation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Institute conducted research to determine the qualitative benefits of ADR in EPA enforcement activities. This research project, supervised by Professor Rosemary O'Leary, has helped improve our understanding of the complex context in which ADR is utilized in enforcement activities at the EPA. Data collection for this study was completed during the summer of 1999. The analysis of the data continues. Thus far a number of papers have been completed and submitted to journals. A number of other papers are in progress.

Articles submitted for publication (have not yet been notified of status of paper by journal):

*Raines, S. and O'Leary, R., "Improving and Institutionalizing Alternative Dispute Resolution in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Enforcement Actions: Views of Agency Attorneys."

*O’Leary, R. and Raines, S., “Lessons Learned from Two Decades of Mediation at the EPA.”

Bordeaux, C., O’Leary, R. and Thornburg, R., “Alternative Dispute Resolution of Enforcement Actions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Is Practice Consistent with the Theory?”

Conference Papers and Presentations:

May, 2000: Susan Raines presented “Lessons Learned from Two Decades of Mediation at the EPA” a paper on EPA ADR research at Udall Center conference, Tucson, Arizona.

May 2000: Carolyn Bordeaux presented “Alternative Dispute Resolution of Enforcement Actions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Is Practice Consistent with the Theory?” a paper on EPA ADR research at Udall Center conference, Tucson, Arizona.

Evaluating the State of the States in Environmental Dispute Resolution

This national survey of state use of environmental conflict resolution was completed in 1999 and summaries of each state’s activities published in the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution in May, 1999.

Presentations and Articles:

*O'Leary, R., Yandle, T., and Moore, T. "The State of the States in Environmental Dispute Resolution," Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 515-614 (1999).

O'Leary, R. and Yandle, T., "The State of the States in Environmental Dispute Resolution: Implications for Public Management at the New Millennium," Fifth National Public Management Research Conference, College Station, TX (December, 1999).

*O'Leary, R. and Yandle, T., "Environmental Management at the Millennium: The Use of Environmental Dispute Resolution by State Governments," Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory (forthcoming, 2000).

Upcoming:

Tracy Yandle will present a paper on State of States research at the national conference of the American Political Science Association, Washington, D.C., in September 2000.

Desert Compact Working Group

Together with United States Institute of Environmental Conflict Resolution and the Policy Consensus Initiative, ICRI staff co-sponsored and participated in the Desert Compact Working Group on Evaluating Public Policy and Environmental Conflict Resolution, September 16-19, 1999, in Tucson, Arizona. The working group is developing a common set of variables and indicators for data collection at the state and federal agency levels to build the national knowledge base on consensus-based processes for resolving environmental and public policy disputes. The working group selected the Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission and the Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution as the subjects for this research project.

Rosemary O’Leary obtained $20,000 in funding from Syracuse University to sponsor an evaluation or conference in spring 2001.

A Longitudinal Evaluation of Environmental Attorneys’ Attitudes Toward the Use of Mediation in the Resolution of Environmental Disputes

This project is a survey of environmental attorneys' attitudes toward, and experiences with, ADR. A copy of the research design has been presented to a few board members of the American Bar Association Section on Natural Resource, Energy, and Environmental Law (SONREEL). The SONREEL executive committee approved their co-sponsorship of the survey in February 2000. The survey has been drafted and is currently being revised and shortened. An access date base is being designed to facilitate the data analysis. We are awaiting official confirmation from SONREEL as well as mailing labels from the SONREEL membership database. We hope to mail the surveys in the coming year.

Evaluating Employment Arbitration Under the Rules of the American Arbitration Association

The Institute continues to study employment arbitration, an emerging method for resolving disputes between employers and employees not represented by a union. The research concentrates on the Due Process Protocol for Mediation and Arbitration of Employment Disputes and explores the extent to which players frequently involved in arbitration have different results than one-time participants. In the past year Professor Lisa Bingham has presented results from this research showing that the Due Process Protocol is having an impact on employment arbitration by screening out employer plans that violate employee due process protections.

Presentations and Articles:

*Bingham, L. B. and Mesch, D. (2000 forthcoming). “Decision-making in Employment and Labor Arbitration.” Industrial Relations, Vol. _, no. _, pp. _-_.

*Bingham, L. B. and Chachere, D. R. (1999). "Dispute Resolution in Employment: The Need for Research." In Eaton, A. E. and Keefe, J. H. (Eds.), 1999 Industrial Relations Research Association Research Volume: Employment Dispute Resolution and Worker Rights in the Changing Workplace, pp. 95-135. Champaign, IL: Industrial Relations Research Association.

Invited Talk: Bingham, L. B. (1999). “If the Repeat Player Effect is Sophistry, Why Did the Protocol Make A Difference?” lead speaker as part of a luncheon plenary panel entitled “Repeat Player Effect: Syndrome or Sophistry?” at the Second National Employment ADR Enclave of the American Arbitration Association, San Francisco, CA, presented on November 4, 1999.

Bingham, L. B. (1999). "Under-researched Issues in Labor and Employment Law." Panel discussion on Friday, May 28, 1999 at the 1999 Conference of the Law and Society Association, Chicago, IL.

Bingham, L. B. (1999). "Employment Arbitration after the Due Process Protocol: Where Do We Go From Here?" as part of panel entitled "Under My Thumb: Worker Rights in the Changing Workplace", Friday, May 28, 1999, at the 1999 Conference of the Law and Society Association, Chicago, IL.

Evaluation Literature Database

The Institute has created a national resource on evaluation of conflict resolution programs: a comprehensive web searchable database containing an annotated bibliography and summaries of empirical conflict resolution studies. To date, we have entered the bibliographic information of over 236 evaluation articles to the database. In addition, students working with the Institute, as well as students in a graduate class about negotiation and dispute resolution have written more than 72 summaries. The Institute is collaborating with the students and faculty at the Family and Conciliation Courts Review (FCCR) to have FCCR students review and submit summaries of evaluations published in the FCCR. The database is located on the ICRI website at www.spea.indiana.edu/icri/condataexp.htm.

B. SERVICE TO THE STATE OF INDIANA

The Indiana Conflict Resolution Institute is trying to foster greater use of ADR in the state of Indiana and to broaden understanding of dif ferent ADR models and processes.

Indiana ADR Provider Survey

In the summer of 1998, the Institute mailed 676 surveys to ADR providers in the state of Indiana. We received 215 completed surveys from ADR Providers. This information has enabled us to obtain a picture of providers, their areas of expertise, and their practices. In addition, we have created a web-searchable database of Indiana Providers for the ICRI website so that the public may more easily find Indiana mediators with particular expertise or in a particular geographic location. This database is now available on the ICRI website. The website also has a feature allowing ADR providers to submit a new survey or update existing information and can be found at www.spea.indiana.edu/icri/indy_provider.htm.

Indiana State Agency Projects

In the last year, the Institute has made significant progress in working with state agency officials and staff to develop ADR programs within state agencies. In June 1999, the Institute facilitated an agency Roundtable initiated by Judge Wayne Penrod from the Indiana Office of Environmental Adjudication. The roundtable was attended by representatives from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the Natural Resources Commission, the Indiana Bar, the Indiana Environmental Institute, and the Indiana University – Indianapolis School of Law.

Indiana Department of Environmental Management Mediation Pilot Project

In cooperation with the Indiana Governor's Office and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) staff, we designed and implemented a mediation pilot program for cost recovery disputes at IDEM. Our goal for this pilot project is to provide the framework for a mediation program that can serve as a model for other state agencies. In the last year, IDEM has referred two cases to mediation. One case was resolved during mediation; the other case was at least partially resolved. The parties in both mediations returned exit surveys to the Institute. IDEM has broadened access to mediation and extended the pilot program for the coming year.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

In the last year, Institute staff has provided consultation and training for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR Bureau of Reclamation Coal Mining has developed a number of conflict resolution training modules for staff in an attempt to develop skills at negotiation and handling public disputes. Institute staff consulted with the Bureau, provided them with feedback upon their training modules, and suggested additional resources. Upon the Bureau’s request, Institute staff members Merrill Pond and Marissa Codey presented a workshop entitled “Effective Tools for Conflict Resolution” to members of the Indiana Society of Mining and Reclamation on December 4, 1999.

Indiana Office of Environmental Adjudication

*After the June 1999 Environmental ADR Roundtable, the Office of Environmental Adjudication (OEA) began drafting a non-rule policy document to govern the use of mediation for OEA cases, with assistance of ICRI staff member Merrill Pond. This document is called “Mediation and Facilitation in Administrative Proceedings before the Office of Environmental Adjudication.”

Natural Resources Commission

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission (NRC), the adjudicative division of the Department of Natural Resources, started using mediation in 1996. Since that time, the administrative law judges with the NRC have mediated approximately 40 cases. Because the NRC caseload represents the first significant use of mediation in a state agency, we have attempted to capture information about the cases, issues, parties, and outcomes. A Lilly Community Assistance Fellow, Andrea Karpoff has interviewed participants and mediators about their experience with the NRC mediation, and prepared a report on the NRC mediation program.

Indiana Interagency SHARED NEUTRALS Program for Mediation

*One of the obstacles to the use of ADR in Indiana state agencies has been the cost of neutrals. Agencies have been reluctant to refer a case to mediation because they do not want to pay the costs of the mediation in addition to the potential costs of an administrative or judicial hearing. The Institute staff, in collaboration with a Lilly Community Assistance Fellow, Andrea Karpoff, worked with staff from a number of agencies to develop the structure for a shared neutrals program. In January 2000, six state agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding and committed to being part of the shared neutrals program. Each agency has one or more trained mediators on staff and will offer these staff members as mediators for disputes in other agencies. The members of the shared neutrals panel held their first meeting in February 2000 to discuss how to administer and evaluate the program. A report entitled, “Mediation in Indiana: Case Studies in the Environmental Arena, The Interagency Shared Neutrals Program and the Natural Resources Commission Mediation Pilot Project” discusses this work.

Presentations and Articles

The Indiana Lawyer, Nov. 10, 1999, p. 11, headline "State Agencies Should Be Next to Use Mediation", byline Steve Lucas. Relevant quote: "Indiana University is now assisting in efforts to expose other state agencies to mediation. Earlier this year, the Indiana Conflict Resolution Institute (ICRI) at Indiana University supported a pilot project by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to explore the use of mediation at a pre-AOPA (Administrative Orders Proceedings Act) stage. Currently, with sponsorship by ICRI and a Lilly Community Assistance Fellowship, SPEA graduate student Andrea Karpoff is developing a model for ‘shared neutrals' among allied state agencies. She is also interviewing attorneys who have participated in AOPA mediations sanctioned by the Natural Resources Commission."

Bingham, L. B. (1999). "Government ADR in Indiana" as part of panel on Barriers and Obstacles to the Use of ADR in State Government, Saturday, September 25, 1999, at the 1999 Conference of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution, Baltimore, MD.

Brown, Gina V. and Susan S. Raines, presented a workshop on the use of ADR in environmental Disputes at the Indiana Environmental ADR Workshop, September 16, 1999, organized by the Indiana State Bar Association Dispute Resolution and Environmental Sections.

SPEA Statehouse Colloquium. “Public Policy Conflict Resolution.” February 24, 2000. In addition, Hewlett Grantee Chris Carlson presented as part of this panel.

Other State Achievements:

*In collaboration with the American Arbitration Association, Cleveland Regional Office, we held a breakfast meeting on February 18, 2000 to discuss the findings from Focus Groups sessions held in 1999 on how to broaden Indiana use of dispute resolution. Leaders from government, business, and health care who attended the original focus group session and returned to hear about the Focus Groups report, prepared by ICRI staff entitled, “Report from Focus Groups Sessions Regarding the Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution in Indiana.” The attendees of the Focus Groups sessions formulated a number of action steps based upon the Report’s finding. The Institute, in conjunction with the AAA, the Indiana Supreme Court, and other state organizations will follow up on these findings.

The Institute participated in a select group named the Indiana ADR Roundtable, created in the summer of 1999 by Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard. The purpose of the Indiana ADR Roundtable was to assess the Indiana Supreme Court Rules on ADR and the use of court-connected ADR in Indiana.

Training and Evaluation of Conflict Resolution at Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center

The Institute has provided training and evaluation services to Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, a naval installation near Indiana University with 5,000 federal employees. Professor Lisa Bingham taught a one-day short course on interest-based negotiation techniques and mediation on May 18, 1999.

C. Service to Indiana University and the Local Community

In the last year, the Institute continued to develop its relationships with other offices within Indiana University and the local community. Institute staff is working with university staff and community members to develop a number of conflict resolution programs and initiatives. The Institute has also brought in a number of experts from throughout the US to share their knowledge and perspectives with members of the local community.

Brown Bag Presentations

Throughout the year, the Institute sponsors brownbag forums that provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to learn from conflict resolution practitioners and researchers. We held the following presentations in the last year:

Sept. 15, 1999: Nancy Milsten, Director of New Jersey environmental agency’s conflict resolution office, gave a brownbag talk about starting up that office and its impact on the agency.

Oct. 11, 1999: Israeli Consul General, Midwest Region, gave a brownbag on her experience negotiating in one of the tracks of the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process.

Oct. 21, 1999: Kirk Emerson, Ph.D., Administrator of the US Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (a new federal agency based in Tucson, AZ), gave SPEA colloquium that ICRI helped organize.

Nov. 18, 1999: Tony Belak, Veterans Affairs mediator, gave a brownbag talk on his experience starting up a mediation program for employment disputes in that agency, and his experience in the federal shared neutrals mediation program.

February 2000: Cindy Hallberlin, USPS REDRESS Program Manager, gave a brownbag talk about the creation and impact of a federal workplace mediation program.

February 24, 2000: Chris Carlson, Co-Director of the Policy Consensus Initiative, talked about the use of dispute resolution techniques in environmental and public policy disputes.

April 10^th, 2000: John Lande, Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Mediation Law School Program spoke at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs brownbag and presented at the IU Law School on family mediation.

April 17, 2000: Jack McGriffin, from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Reclamation General Division Information and Administrative Services, spoke about managing contentious public disputes and public meetings.

IU Conflict Assessment

The Institute is finalizing the IU Conflict Assessment Report to the Indiana University Administration. Its goal was to achieve a better understanding of how the University manages conflict, and to determine whether there is room for improvement in the system.

Collaborations with IU Departments and the Bloomington Community

ICRI is also building collaborative relationships with campus and community organizations. Through a collaborative effort between SPEA and the IU School of Law, we have been awarded a grant in the amount of $3,000 from the Indiana Campus Compact to support the needs assessment for and design of a community mediation center in Bloomington.

The Conflict Forum is a new group guided by the Institute to replace services formerly offered by Student Mediation Services at IU. The group will function as an umbrella group for student and community members who are interested in working on issues of conflict resolution.

ICRI assists in volunteering services to the Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) of the City of Bloomington to help mediate cases between youth offenders and their victims. The Institute is also active in working with VORP as they work through organizational transitions.

Collaboration with IU Faculty

The Institute now has a web-searchable database of IU faculty with interests in conflict resolution available on the ICRI website. We hope that this searchable database will facilitate networks among faculty and between faculty and students. It can be found at www.spea.indiana.edu/icri/iuadr.htm.

Community Mediation Center

August-December, 1999: Supervised MPA student and Lilly Fellow Kate Williams in project working with Bloomington Coalition for a Peaceful Community, a grassroots group fostering conflict resolution efforts locally.

Representatives of the community were interviewed by students to determine the types of community disputes, current mechanisms for dispute resolution and needs within the community for planning a community mediation center in Monroe County. The information is being compiled into a report to share with the Bloomington Coalition for a Peaceful Community.

A Week Without Violence

ICRI staff assisted in the planning and implementation of a ‘Violence Prevention Training’ at the Monroe County Public Library on April 3, 2000. They also assisted in promoting, advertising and participating in other activities for the week such as a movie discussion on ‘Violence as Entertainment?’ and a Public Meeting on Violence Prevention.

D. International

In the last year, Institute staff has become involved in a few, select international ADR activities.

Kalachakra for World Peace 1999, Bloomington, Indiana, Aug. 17-27, 1999, a Buddhist teaching offered by the Dalai Lama. Lisa Bingham and Lisa-Marie Napoli attended and Lisa-Marie Napoli volunteered.

Bingham, L.B. and Prell, D.C. (2000 Forthcoming). "Arbitration of Environmental Disputes that Cross National Boundaries." In The Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems. Oxford, UK: EOLSS Publishers Co. Ltd. This is a chapter on international environmental arbitration for the UNESCO-sponsored international Encyclopedia, designed to be a comprehensive reference on the global environment.

E. Other Recognition of the Work of The Institute

Lisa Bingham was appointed Keller Runden Professor of Public Service in October 1999.

Appendix: Research Papers

I. Introduction