General Information:

Two graduate student employees in the Research and Planning Office are now avoiding each other after a heated interchange in the break room about a week ago. Their responsibilities in the department often require them to work together on projects. Until recently, things seem to have gone smoothly. The current conflict involves concerns about who gets credit for work that gets done as a team.


Diane feels that John, her coworker, has been taking undue credit for work she contributed to. John feels the break room incident was an unfair attack on him, and he has been avoiding contact with Diane since then. Diane, at the advice of her supervisor, has approached the mediation center, asking for some support to resolve the issue. While reluctant, John has agreed to try mediation.

1. Preparation.

As the mediator how are you going to prepare for this mediation? Will you be sending out emails or letters to the parties to get more information or to give them information? What information will you be asking for? What information will you be telling them? Are you sending a fee agreement out ahead of time? An agreement to mediate? If so then draft those documents, emails, letters, etc.

2. Co-mediating.

Will you be co-mediating? Why or why not? If yes, discuss how you will break up the session amongst the two of you. How are you dividing up the tasks? Why? Are you thinking through potential problems and strategies to use? What are the potential problems and strategies?

3. Meeting the parties.

How will you be greeting them? What will you say? How will you introduce yourselves? What if they arrive at different times what will you do?

4. Seating Arrangements.

How are you arranging the room and why? Will there be anything available to eat/drink, pens, paper, electronics? What will you have available for them?

5. Opening Statement.

Once everyone is seated and ready to go, you will then give your opening statement. Draft an opening statement for your mediation. Of the two of you how are you dividing up this opening statement? Why?

6. Closing statement.

Draft a closing statement for your mediation. Who will be presenting the closing and why?

(The closing will be limited as you have no idea what agreement the parties will come to.)

You may use the section in the Handbook "The Mediation Session" as a guide.
You may use any handouts from last week, the emails, letters, "Sample Agreement to Mediate" and/or the "Confidential Agreement" or any other documents you may find on-line or make up your own.
You may add anything else you feel is necessary for your mediation session. There are no bad/wrong ideas.