Journal of IOA: Impact of Student Conflict in Higher Ed

The latest article published by the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association presents survey results from college students that has implications for Ombuds. "Interpersonal Conflict and Academic Success: A Campus Survey with Practical Applications for Academic Ombuds," was written by a research team from Northern Arizona University: Phoebe Morgan, Heather Foster, and Brian Ayres.

Here's the abstract for the article:

A team of student researchers supervised by a certified organizational ombuds surveyed the interpersonal conflict experiences of 106 undergraduates on a university campus that offers limited ombuds services to students. While a small minority of respondents reported disputes about university policies or disagreements with university personnel nearly all (90%) reported conflicts with other students within a year of the survey. Intimate relationships (i.e., friends, roommates, and romantic partners) accounted for the majority of the conflicts. While most claimed the conflicts mentioned in the survey did not seriously impact daily life, 70% said the conflicts negatively impacted their academic efforts. About one-third of those who reported having a conflict said they had sought the assistance of a third party, and 25% of those who did so turned to a faculty member for help in dealing with conflicts with other students. When asked to rate the importance of various qualities of third-party assistance, respondents felt a trained volunteer would most likely facilitate a satisfactory resolution. Despite the small sample size and the limitations of the data collection design, the results suggest a range of practical applications for academic ombuds.

(JIOA.)

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