UDRP: University Dispute Resolution Project

Contact Information

UDRP: University Dispute Resolution Project
George Mason University
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

Email: udrp@gmu.edu

Director: Yves-Renee Jennings, 2005-06
We recommend e-mailing for an appointment

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Organizational Structure

UDRP is a unique student organization at George Mason University, because our primary motivation is community service and education, and we collaborate with many other GMU offices and departments.  UDRP also arranges events and activities at the campuses in Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington.

The officer/leadership positions of the organization - Director, Assistant Director, Treasurer, and Secretary - are drawn from students in the Conflict & Analysis degree program at GMU. The officers are also volunteers, with the exception of the Director.

The Director is a student in the Master's degree progam in Conflict Analysis & Resolution. Responsibilities include organizational management, project development, public relations, and recruitment.  Students interested to work with UDRP are strongly encouraged to contact the Director for more details.

All other leadership positions - Chairs or Co-Chairs for the UDRP Program Committees - and general membership are filled by student volunteers from any of the GMU degree programs, both graduate and undergraduate. Volunteers have joined UDRP from studies in Continuing Education, Integrative Studies, Government, Psychology, English, Communication, Law, etc.

UDRP has always worked to give students opportunities to develop a variety of professional skills. In addition to volunteer opportunities in many different areas of conflict resolution and skills development, UDRP has also worked with students to develop meaningful and productive internship or experiential learning experiences.

Given the rich backgrounds of its members, UDRP has become a unique organization where members can partner with and learn from other members who have more experience in a certain area. The organization recognizes that all members have something to teach, as well as to learn.

UDRP Leadership: 2005-06
Director: Yves-Renee Jennings
Assistant Director: Sana Saeed
Treasurer: Mark Wilson
Secretary: Jennifer Davis

Faculty Advisor: Susan Allen Nan

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Program Committees

UDRP operates through volunteer Program Committees. Each one supports a unique aspect of the organization.

• Mediation Committee handles mediation case intake and orientation, coordinates all UDRP mediations, evaluates UDRP's mediation process and updates it as needed
• Training Committee designs and delivers trainings in conflict resolution skills or communication skills for GMU students, staff, and faculty. This group also compiles and analyzes participant evaluations of UDRP training workshops and seminars.
• Dialogue Committee plans and implements small group dialogues on a variet of topics, including race, class, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, etc. This group also coordinates with other organizations on campus who are interested in dialogue, such as Sexual Assault Services.
• Advertising/Marketing Committee is responsible for outreach to the GMU community. Through multiple channels, this group coordinates both general UDRP advertising for volunteer recruitment and advertising for individual UDRP events or activities.
• Finance Committee creates and implements fundraising projects. This group also works with the Director and Treasurer to create the budget for the following year.

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History

UDRP was established in 1994 by graduate students from the Institute for Conflict Analysis & Resolution at George Mason University. After that first year, it won the "Rookie of the Year" award for new student organizations. Since then UDRP has continued to build upon the strong foundations laid by its founders by collaborating with a variety of individuals and groups on campus. These groups include:

• Multicultural Research & Resource Center
• Sexual Assault Services
• New Century College
• GMU Human Resources
• GMU Housing & Residence Life
• GMU Ombudsman
• GMU Media Relations - Prince William Campus

Beyond campus, UDRP has worked with local community groups, public schools, and non-profit organizations to provide discounted conflict resolution services and training seminars. Some of these groups include:

• Emerson National Hunger Fellowship Program (Washington, D.C.)
• Unity in the Community (Prince William County, VA)
• TC Williams High School (Alexandria, VA)

UDRP is committed to meeting the needs of the community and continuously looks to the future for ways to expand and improve its services.

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FAQs

For more information, please see our page of Frequently Asked Questions, or contact the UDRP Director at udrp@gmu.edu.