During your conversation with your trusted party, you may decide that your preferred course of action is to consult with the offending party in the hope of achieving improved communications and working relationships. Some options for resolution of complaints involving interpersonal miscommunication could include those listed below. Your decision about which option to pursue will depend largely on the nature of your concern, your personal preferences, and your sense of communication patterns between the affected parties based on previous experiences.
 

  • Discussion and Negotiation between Affected Parties
    • If you decide to raise your concern with the other department member directly, you can request a meeting in writing via email, voicing the nature of your complaint, and then follow up with a meeting in which you discuss how to resolve the conflict and improve the working relationship. If this option feels too intimidating due to power dynamics or otherwise, there are other options below.
  • Discussion and Negotiation between Affected Parties with an Internal Observer
    • You can propose a meeting with the other department member in the presence of another department member, who could serve as a neutral internal observer of the meeting. Potential internal observers could be the trusted party with whom you initially talked through your concerns, another member of your committee, the Department Chair, Vice Chair or member of the Executive Committee. 
  • Discussion and Negotiation with an Outside Mediator from the Ombuds Office
    • The Ombuds Office offers mediation and/or conflict resolution services. You could work with the Ombuds Office to coordinate and facilitate a meeting with the other department member. 
  • Intervention on your Behalf by the Chair
    • You could meet with the Department Chair privately to voice your concerns, and decide whether you wish for the chair to talk with the other party, either with or without your presence. This option may be ideal for complaints involving multiple students in a course, or for incidents where you wish to reduce/eliminate contact with the person who is the subject of your concerns while the matter is being handled by the department or university.