The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1 - 220

Wade G. Livingston • David A. Scott • S. Bryan Rush • Lance A. Watson •
Michael L. Neiduski • Steven J. Pinkenburg

While conflict mediation and
restorative justice offer alternative
resolution mechanisms, some
conduct cases involving students
with invisible disabilities are more
serious and should be resolved
through educationally based
discipline procedures.

as another facet of social justice. Creating an
inclusive campus climate is vital when one considers that students with invisible disabilities
may be less likely to report negative situations
and to seek help and accommodations, and they
may have lower self-esteem when they perceive
that their environment is ignorant or intolerant of disability (Hartman-Hall & Haaga, 2002;
May & Stone, 2010).
Some approaches to dispute resolution,
including restorative justice and conflict mediation, incorporate elements of teaming in
that multiple parties may be involved in these
alternatives to formal conduct hearings. The
value of both restorative justice and conflict
mediation interventions is found in participant
dialogue, the search for common ground, and
the principle of repairing harm to individuals
and the community through the engagement
of multiple constituents (Zehr, 2002). The
dialogue offers all participants, with or without
invisible disabilities, a chance to see how their
behavior impacts each other and their residential community. Educators should be cautioned, however, that it is not appropriate to
220

betray students’ confidentiality and reveal the
existence of an invisible disability, particularly
if the incident was not related to a student’s
disability. Rather, the mediation or restorative
justice session should be conducted in a safe
manner within the community where the incident occurred so that it can enable productive
dialogue. An added benefit to these practices is
that participation may preclude a policy violation, which lessens anxiety, fosters productive
conversation, and helps all participants evaluate future scenarios.
While conflict mediation and restorative
justice offer alternative resolution mechanisms, some conduct cases involving students
with invisible disabilities are more serious
and should be resolved through educationally based discipline procedures. First and
foremost, students’ safety should be the paramount concern. In a worst case scenario, students with invisible disabilities may pose a
threat to themselves or other students in the
residential community. Accordingly, educators
must work quickly to evaluate threats and take
action. If, for example, a student with an invisible disability must be relocated to a different residence hall, educators must follow their
process consistently and ensure the student’s
legally afforded accommodations. Beyond the
legal accommodations and conduct process
policy, educators should consider factors that
augment student success, such as proximity
to academic buildings and support services
offices, as well as unique features of the residential community (physical layout of the residence hall; 24-hour quiet hours; cohabitation
formats such as apartment-style, suite-style, or
individual dwellings). While some students’
invisible disabilities are known at the time

The JourNal of College aNd uNiVersiTy sTudeNT housiNg

The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 39, No. 2 & Volume 40, No. 1