In February the CDR hosted a visit by Dr. David Karp, a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Project on Restorative Justice at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. Dr. Karp focuses on restorative justice (RJ) in community and campus settings, and while at Missouri State he led a roundtable discussion and offered a training on the use of RJ on college campuses.
Dr. Karp’s training was attended by student affairs and residence hall administrators, staff, and students from several area colleges and Universities. Dr. Karp offered an overview of RJ principles and practices and discussed both the benefits and challenges of applying RJ on college campuses. Specific contexts discussed included the use of RJ in campus misconduct cases, in residential life, and in sexual assault cases.
The CDR will continue to work to expand the use of restorative practices on the Missouri State campus in the coming months. Possibilities where such practices could be utilized include in the resolution of roommate disputes, in the case of violations of the campus code of conduct, with academic dishonesty cases, and in other selected circumstances. For more information on the use of RJ at a University level, or to get involved the CDR’s efforts at Missouri State, please contact CDR@MissouriState.edu.