Newsletter Master of Science in Conflict Management htt p : //www. ken n es aw. e d u /p ols /ms cm /
D e c em b er 1 6, 2 0 1 5 Is s ue
Letter from the Director Greetings,
In this Issue:
Congratulations Cohort XVI.......2 Featured Article.......................... 3 Announcements...........................4 Faculty Accomplishments..........6
The fall semester ends and the spring semester begins with congratulations and a fond farewell to Cohort XVI and a welcome back to Cohort XVII. In this newsletter, you will learn more about some of the interesting field projects students do in this program (who says conflict management and zombies don’t mix?), the study abroad to Europe, and some both joyous and sad news regarding some of our alumni. As recruiting season for Cohort XVIII is in full swing, I would like to encourage our students, alums, friends, and community partners to talk to people about your experiences with and in the program. We hope you will encourage anyone you know who’s been “thinking about this for a few years” to get in touch with us. We continue to find that personal connections
Master of Science in Conflict Management Department of Political Science and International Affairs Kennesaw State University 365 Cobb Ave. MD 1603 Kennesaw, GA 30144
and compelling stories about your experiences are what send us the high quality students we have every year. Many questions are better answered by those of you who have been on the “other side of the desk”. We are having several open house events in the spring (see the website for details) and hope to have a few more casual “Meet & Greet” sessions. We want to encourage as many of you as possible to come so we can build a community around conflict management. As always, if you have news items (new jobs, exciting opportunities, etc.) please keep in touch as we’d love to hear from you. You can also stay in touch with us via our facebook page, Twitter, LinkedIn, and our growing blog. All the best for the New Year ahead,
Sherrill Hayes, Ph.D., MSCM Director
Congratulations Cohort XVI! Top: Joshua Hill and Susan Warner Middle: The last group shot before the graduates walked Bottom: Group shot of Cohort XVI, unfortunately missing quite a few!
Cohort XVI Graduates! December 15, 2015
After 16 challenging months, an ACR trip to Reno, Nevada and an International trip to the European Union in Germany and France, Cohort XVI finally earned their hoods. With ten Justice and Organization Certificates and eight International Conflict Management Certificates, Cohort XVI has the most completed embedded certificates in the MSCM program thus far. We are excited to add this great group of students to our growing list of alumni. Please welcome us in congratulating them!
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Featured Article 2015 European Fall Academy Reflection Blog Submitted by Darryl Wilson Cohort XVI
dispute. When not taking international co-mediation through its full paces to avoid adjudication, does co-mediation itself become a violation of fundamental freedoms because it delays due process without intent for resolution?
Some key takeaways from my study abroad experience was the comparative study of the EU Office of the Ombudsman versus the concept of the Ombudsman as referenced in our field of study in the United States. Our approach to keeping conflict away from adjudication seemed to be lost on the EU. Their focus and emphasis was solely on the soft power interaction of institutional matters only AFTER all adjudication has been exhausted up to and including the national Supreme Court. They have complaints about citizen participation, which is something we sorely need in the United States as well.
I am still curious about the attempt to capture all humanitarian complaints by the European Court of Human Rights. The quality of the decisions in an environment of such frequency and includes the allowance of cases to be heard on a slice of pizza, affect the broader concept of humanitarian freedoms.
My notes highlight a key recommendation: Rome III regulations should have a dispute ladder that includes EU Ombudsman referral(s) if the national ombudsmen cannot agree on a cross-border
• There is no jury law in Germany and no pretrial discovery. I wonder how the civil rights movement would have fared with only Roman law (the judge cannot make a decision if the
issue is not regulated) and no Common law as we have in the United States. Freedom is not free in America, but how does that concept, in context, shared by the founders of the EU?
• The tragic Paris shooting during our study on the European Union’s system of fundamental freedoms gave our Cohort a poignant perspective for the future. For more MSCM student stories visit: http://ksumscm.tumblr.com
Other key highlights were: • The acknowledgement of intergenerational conflict is similar to the U.S. but better defined. 1st Generation Germans are in culture shock when gender mingling at age 8, is declared as a “permissive lifestyle”.
Top: Guest pass to enter the European Court of Human Rights Bottom: Dr. Hayes in one of the meeting rooms in the European Court of Human Rights
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Announcements Brook Teshome Gebre, Cohort 15 announced his wedding to Hellen Mulugeta Moges December 19, 2015. Join us in congratulating the happy couple!
Sam Garbe, Cohort 16 will begin a new position with KSU in January as an HR Specialist II. He will be responsible for helping new employees complete their hiring paperwork. He will also be responsible for leading orientation sessions with new employees, as well as working with the HR partners to address any problems that existing employees face.
work skills held at Indian River State College in Ft. Pierce, FL) earlier in the year, it seemed to me that designing a curriculum of my own was the obvious choice, but what curriculum? What could I teach, and how could I teach it? With all of the topics and subtopics covered in the MSCM program, the choices were practically endless. I honestly didn’t know where to start. What I did know was that I really benefitted from my experience in Florida, and I wanted to give that same opportunity to others. With that in mind, I set out on an attempt at creating a Submitted by Joshua Hill, Cohort XVI new way to teach basic humanitarian relief work skills. Every student in the MSCM program has a crucial decision to make midway through completion of his The other issue I had to address was how to teach said curriculum, or her 2nd to last semester; Internand honestly, the answer just kind ship, experiment, or curriculum of came out of the blue. Zombies. design? While each of the options You didn’t misread. One day it is accompanied by its own set of benefits and challenges, my choice struck me that the skills necessary for surviving a zombie apocalypse was not too difficult. Having had the experience of attending Project are the exact same skills necessary Atlantic Hope (a 70 hour live simu- for surviving any other cataclysmic situation. In fact, the tasks that lation teaching humanitarian relief
Zombie Apocalypse Emergency Response Training Reflection
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Chinny Diya Law, Cohort 8 passed the February 2015 Georgia Bar exam and is now working as an immigration attorney for the Urbina Law Firm in Marietta, Georgia.
should be focused on in a zombie apocalypse are the same as those necessary to be effective in most humanitarian relief work as well. The basics of both are as follows; Resource control and optimization, security, medical triage, disaster preparedness, decision making, and leadership. Using those concepts and with the help of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Dr. Sherrill Hayes, I designed a 2 hour simulation that instructed and tested a group of 6 participants in these concepts. The simulation went live and ran on Thursday, November 19th, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. The participants, instructors, and volunteers all agreed that this simulation was extremely beneficial and all hope that it will be repeated multiple times over the years to come, and it is my personal hope that this curriculum will act as a pilot program with the potential of transforming into a topic that I can invest more of myself into in the professional field or as I progress through the academic world.
Remembering Dorothy Evelyn “Eve” Puckett, Cohort 12 March 8, 1960—October 14, 2015 Dorothy Evelyn “Eve” Puckett, 55, passed away Wednesday, October 14, 2015. Eve was born in Milledgeville, graduated from Louisville High School in 1978 and immediately became affiliated with Georgia College. Eve received undergraduate degrees in Criminal Justice, Political Science, and Public Administration as well as several Master Degrees from Kennesaw State University and Georgia College where she worked as the Title IX Coordinator and was professionally associated with Georgia College for over 30 years. She was preceded in death by her parents Melvin Howard and May Smith Puckett, brother Stan Puckett and a nephew Chris Puckett. She was of the Methodist Faith. Survivors include two brothers, Lany Puckett (Shella) of Warner Robins and Chuck Puckett (Kay) of Milledgeville, three sisters, Jennie Lyle (Steve) of Milledgeville, Debbie Pennington (Fred) Sandersville and Susan Puckett of Macon, nephews and a niece, Les Tyson, Kalen Puckett and Nathan Puckett all of Milledgeville, Michael Odom of Warner Robins, Traci Upton (Grayson) of Sandersville and Freddie Pennington (Kathy) of Johnson City, TN, a host of loving cousins, great nephews, nieces, other family and wonderful friends.
The following is an excerpt of the memorial service written by Dr. Paul Jahr, Retired Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at Georgia College & State University My name is Paul Jahr and I had the privilege to work with, know and love Eve for almost 28 years. We met when I accepted the position as Director of Residence Life and my family and I moved to Milledgeville. At that time, Eve was ‘holding
the fort’ in the housing department—a trait she so often exhibited. From then to today, we worked together in a number of different capacities and she became a member of my “family.” A few years ago, Eve and several of her then housing colleagues were in a conversation and somehow the subject turned to funerals. In that discussion, Eve shared that center court at the Centennial Center was where she would like to be. Well Ms. Eve, I am confident that, much to your surprise, you are getting your wish. For that I would like to express my—and the families—sincere appreciation to Dr. Dorman. We are here to celebrate Ms. Eve’s life as a member of our Georgia College community. Given our location, i would say ‘Bobcat Nation’ but Eve’s service to GC dates back to the days when we were the Colonials. So I urge you to celebrate Eve in your memories. I am confident that our Eve would only accept any sadness on our part if it was over the fact that she left us way too soon. I will remember Eve as a renaissance woman. She was multi-talented and shared those talents with others. She was the epitome of the liberal arts—which is so befitting given our institution’s mission. She was a lover of learning—as her many formal degrees attest—but it was her constant quest for knowledge that was more important to Eve. Over her years at GC, she shared her knowledge and expertise with so many others. With students in the many and varied subject matter classes that she taught. With many student groups and organizations through her service as an advisor in both a formal and informal sense. With colleagues through her wise council, care and giving that so exemplified Eve’s interactions with most everyone.
Eve was a very unpretentious individual. She did not seek the limelight—frankly she chose to avoid it most of the time. What she did for others was what she felt was the right thing and she did not need any other form of motivation. Most folks don’t realize this, but Eve Puckett to thousands of students, families, and visitors to Georgia College over the years, was the face of the institution. She never met a stranger and always extended a smile, a hello and a “may I help you.” She touched more lives in significant and small ways than most anyone else over the past almost 30 years. Eve was always out and about seeking to be of help. She was a go-to person who never needed to be asked. She was just there helping out. She was a true GIVER—literally and figuratively. Her work with the GIVE Center over the years —both as a staff member, advisor and an avid supporter—is remembered and will be treasured by many. In true Eve fashion, as she is leaving all of us in this world, Eve donated her organs for use in helping others. And as such, she will live on in many individuals that did not know her but will treasure her as we do. The greatest gift that we can give to our memories of Eve is that we all strive to live our lives with the grace, dignity and genuine support and concern for others that she exhibited every day of her life. When we all leave here this afternoon, go forth with your wonderful memories of Eve and your experiences with her and know that the world—and GC in particular—was made a better place because Eve touched our lives and the lives of thousands of others. Be joyful in the knowledge that that is the way Eve would have wanted it to be. Thank you, Dr. Paul Jahr
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Faculty Accomplishments 6
Dr. Sherrill Hayes,
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Director, MSCM Program
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Taught MSCM 7210 – Conflict Theory to Cohort XVII Taught MSCM 7715 – Study abroad to Europe Nov. 7-15 to study European Identity, Human Rights, and Migration with Cohort XVI Chaired a successful defense of Birthe Reimers’ INCM PhD Dissertation Nov. 30, 2015 Presented several workshops on Conflict Management Strategies for Family Business with faculty from the KSU Cox Family Enterprise Center around Georgia
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Dr. Susan Raines,
Professor of Conflict Management
• Dr. Raines published an article in ACResolution Magazine on the future of the fields of Conflict Resolution and Alternative Dispute Resolution • Led a group of MSCM students to the conference of the Association for Conflict Resolution in Reno, Nv, where she also presented with graduate student Yeju Chloe Choi on “Getting Published in Conflict Resolution” (October 6-11). • Provided continuing education
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Elected to a one-year term on the Graduate College Executive Committee Hosted Dr. Brian Polkinghorn from Salisbury University on a Fulbright Ambassador visit in October Served as a mediation coach for Emory Faculty Peer Mediation training program, led by Dr. Tim Hedeen Attended GODR ADR Institute on Dec. 11, 2015 Served on committee to develop document outlining a School of Conflict Management
training to mediators in DeKalb County on “Emerging Issues in Mediation”, with Larry Harton and Janis Jones on November 6th Attended the conference of the Georgia Commission on Child Support at Stone Mountain on November 5th. Travelled to Peru to scout a potential study abroad trip from November 21-28. Updated mediators in the 7th District ADR program on changes to law for mediators on December 4th in Cartersville. Was added to the roster of special education facilitators for the State Department of Education.
Dr. Timothy Hedeen,
Professor of Conflict Management
• Spoke on “Ombuds as Nomads? The Intersections of Dispute System Design and Identity” at a symposium at University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis in November
Dr. Heather Pincock,
Assistant Professor of Conflict Management
• Taught MSCM 7720 Negotiation Theory and MSCM 7230 ADR Continuum to Cohort XVII • Supervised final Field Work projects for Cohort XVI • Presented “Bullets vs. Ballots? Can Democratic States Justify Restricting the Rights of the Mentally Ill?” at the Association for Political Theory meeting in Boulder Colorado in October (prepared
Dr. Paul Story,
Assistant Professor of Psychology
• Conducted a mediation training for faculty at Emory University to support the Emory Faculty Peer Mediation program in December • Facilitated at the ABA Advanced Mediation & Advocacy Skills Institute in October
with assistance from GRA and CXVI student Laura Preiser Pollio) • Coached undergraduate and graduate students at the Peacemaking Tournament (mock mediation) taking place at Georgia State’s Conflict Resolution Symposium in October • Facilitated two Alternatives to Violence Project workshops (along with other AVP volunteers) in Atlanta in September and Decatur in October. • Served on Birthe Reimers’ INCM PhD Dissertation Committee. Birthe who successfully defended her dissertation in December (Congrats Dr. Reimers!) • •
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Taught Experimental Design and Analysis Worked on Negotiation and Conflict Lab with Dr. Sherrill Hayes, and PhD and MSCM graduate students Preparing to teach MSCM 7400: Research Methods in January Preparing for the Society For Personality and Social Psychology Conference in January
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To provide submissions to the MSCM newsletter, email Nicole Connelly at nconnell@kennesaw.edu or call 470) 578-6299.
The Master of Science in Conflict Management (MSCM) program at Kennesaw State University provides students with the knowledge and skills to manage conflict in today’s challenging environments. MSCM education addresses the issues that divide our world by encouraging communication, fostering positive relationships and developing comprehensive, long-term solutions. Further, it provides a set of tools and a way of thinking that enhances the safety and vitality of our families, communities and workplaces.
Master of Science in Conflict Management Department of Political Science and International Affairs Kennesaw State University 365 Cobb Ave. MD 1603 Kennesaw, GA 30144