Connected, Well, and Engaged Residential Communities Article

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 16:06:10 -0400

By Lauren T. Mauriello, Assistant Director Residential Student Conduct

Restorative Practices is a philosophy and a set of formal and informal tools which view building relationships, repairing harm, and rebuilding trust when harm occurs as important ways to create a peaceful and productive society. At UMBC, Restorative Practices helps us strengthen relationships between individuals as well as social connections within our community. The International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) describes the effect of Restorative Practices implementation in communities and education settings as increased well being, active, participatory learning, community building, decision-making, greater safety, and sense of belonging.

More information and current research about restorative practices can be found on the IIRP website. We recommend starting here: Defining Restorative

In Residential Life at UMBC, Restorative Practices is used by staff and students as a proactive way to build community and responsive way to resolve conflict. For example, Resident Advisors use restorative tools, such as community standard setting circles, to build community and create ownership among residents. When conflict occurs, staff and students engage the restorative tools to resolve the issue in a way that repairs harm and rebuilds trust. Residential Life cultivates the capacity for community members to use restorative tools by incorporating restorative practices into our residential education plan, and training student leaders and student organizations on using restorative tools, and restorative leadership.

For more on restorative practices in our residential communities check out these blog posts written by a UMBC student leader, or click here for information from our website

To foster a more restorative culture at UMBC, Student Conduct and Community Standards, and Residential Life also host Restorative Practices trainings and workshops, which build capacity in faculty, staff and students to use restorative tools in their communities.

Find us on MyUMBC, and encourage your student to join us for the next Restorative Practices workshop, or Building Campus Community workshop.

For more information about these opportunities, please email

ResLife@umbc.edu or Conduct@umbc.edu