Participant Comments On Campus
Conflict Resolution Services

Individual Consultation

• I am sending your contact information to the new Department Chair, with the hope that she does not need your services but also the confidence that she has a solid and skilled person to contact if she does.
• It was helpful to clarify my options and go over them with someone who listened well. Nancy made suggestions that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.
• It provided great relief to communicate with a neutral third party.
  
• Nancy is terrific, a very good listener.
  
• The consultation enabled me to reflect upon the problems in a relatively more objective way, and to develop a constructive plan of action.

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Mediation

• Nancy’s help was crucial in coming to an understanding and resolution of a long-standing disagreement [with another faculty member]. The resolution was arrived at quickly, fairly, and with amicable ambiance. Resolving the issue facilitated the completion of a project that had been on hold for three years.
• Everything was handled very professionally and efficiently. I can’t imagine a more comfortable and “easy” process for resolving conflict.
• Nancy, thank you for your expertise. The outcome was absolutely the best I could have hoped for.
• Thank you for what I considered a very successful session! It feels good to have that behind us.
• Well done. Thanks so much.
• Nancy managed the mediation meetings with both structure and free-flow; allowing the latter contributes to the effectiveness of the unique session while the former ensures integrity of process.
  
• Objective, fair and sincere. The mediation session was conducted in a positive, professional manner.
  
• Helped us to clarify, articulate, and address our issues.
  
• [My coworker] and I were very happy with how things changed as a result of the mediation process.
  
• Nancy made time to work with us to set up a situation where we both felt comfortable. The mediation allowed us to better understand each other and to work toward our eventual agreement.
  
• Thank you! What a valuable resource!
  
• Nancy was able to accomplish in about two weeks what would have taken months to achieve — and the working hours of approximately 4 to 5 additional people — had we gone through another campus process. In addition, I truly believe that the results that have been realized through Nancy’s services are far better in terms of effectiveness, and that elusive but essential measure of “goodwill” or “damage control”, than formal processes can often deliver.

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Training

• It was extremely helpful to understand the basic conflict management options. Applying these to a specific issue that I am dealing with helped me get past a big hurdle. Thank you!
• The workshop provided some very concrete and easy-to-follow tools for evaluating the other person’s stake in the conflict and working toward a solution.
• Quality of the content was excellent.
• Nice balance of theory and practice.
• I feel confident in applying this approach to different situations that come knocking at my door.
• I appreciate the concise handouts that can be used for future reference as we face challenging situations.
• Thanks so much for your very valuable training. I really enjoyed it, and appreciated that you made it fun! I feel much better prepared to deal with uncomfortable issues.
• Thank you for your wisdom, experience and personable presentation.
• Exceeded my expectations.
• The materials provided really helped put conflict resolution and good communication skills into perspective for us. They are simple, easy to follow and practical tools for us to use in our work lives.
  
• It was very helpful to understand how conflict escalates, and how we can better manage our own responses.
  
• This training helped me identify clear, do-able next steps toward resolving my own workplace conflict.
  
• Gave me tools to improve my communication with everyone I work with: students, staff and faculty.
  
• The training was extremely interesting and useful. Many of the staff remarked how helpful it was. Nancy presents the material with expertise, humor and genuineness. Staff members [who have been in conflict] mentioned that they would feel comfortable contacting Nancy and working with her because of the excellent training

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What would you want others to know about Campus Conflict Resolution Services?

• I consulted Nancy Heischman regarding a situation in which I felt both wronged and helpless to effect change. Campus administrators (including my Department Chair, Associate Dean, and Assistant Dean) did not feel able to help. Nancy heard my concerns, contacted the other party, and arranged a joint meeting to talk the problem through. Without Nancy, I believe the logjam would not have been broken. Getting things moving again has resulted in publication of a long-delayed work. I am very grateful for Nancy’s help.
• Nancy is very good at what she does.
• That the service is available at no cost, to help all members of the campus community who need help resolving conflicts.
• That it’s not scary, it’s helpful.
• That your confidentiality is protected.
• There is a better way to resolve conflict — a way that allows the parties to come to an end-point where they are comfortable with each other and can work together.
• These services are incredibly valuable assets to our campus.
• I want the campus community — especially our academic community - to know about the existence of these services and that taking advantage of them early on in a conflict could very likely minimize the necessity of spending much more time and energy in formal processes.
• Conflicts among faculty members are quite common and I think people who are facing a difficult situation should know that it is worth consulting with CCRS as a positive step toward a resolution.

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For further information, please contact Nancy Heischman at
(831) 459-2290 or nheischm@ucsc.edu.