https://swchrs.ou.edu/Initiatives Parent Page: Initiatives id: 34819 Active Page: Webinar Series id: 34838

SWCHRS WEBINAR SERIES

Build the skills. Earn the credential. Lead with confidence.

Welcome to the SWCHRS Webinar Series

Learn with us – The SWCHRS Webinar Series offers a range of webinars that address critical topics in professional development, institutional effectiveness, and community engagement. These webinars feature expert speakers and provide practical strategies and insights for educational professionals. Each series consists of five parts and is offered each quarter. Each session is available on demand for a year. A virtual micro-credential iis available upon completion of the series.

SWCHRS webinars include interactive sessions that encourage participant engagement and dialogue. These sessions provide opportunities for attendees to ask questions, share experiences, and connect with peers and experts in the field. 

Our Mission

SWCHRS Webinars provide professionals in education and related fields with practical, skills-based learning opportunities designed to enhance communication, leadership, and workforce effectiveness. Through evidence-based strategies and expert-led discussions, our webinars support skill development in areas such as conflict resolution, institutional effectiveness, and community engagement, fostering environments where collaboration and professional growth thrive.

FOCUS AREAS

Collaborative and Effective Work Environments

Providing insights and strategies for fostering environments that promote engagement, mutual understanding, and meaningful connections.

Workforce and Leadership Development

Offering tools and frameworks to cultivate effective leadership, enhance workforce pipelines, and create pathways for professional growth.

Community Engagement and Civic Participation

Strengthening ties between institutions and the communities they serve by encouraging civic participation and fostering partnerships that drive positive change.

Special Topic Webinars for 2025-2026

For the 2025-2026 events, SWCHRS will be offering a credentialed five-part training on Managing Civil Discourse (MCD) in the fall. This structured, evidence-based series equips professionals in higher education with the skills necessary to navigate challenging discussions effectively. The training focuses on selecting the right conflict resolution model based on situational needs and applying proven techniques to maintain productive dialogue in professional and academic settings.

Credential badge shown with watermark for display purposes only. Official badges are awarded upon completion.

These webinars will take place inside of the CVENT platform. Webinar links will be accessed inside of the registrant's Attendee Hub account.  

All webinars must be attended live in order to receive the credential. Recordings of webinars can be accessed for up to a year, but credential will not be provided for viewing recordings.

Webinars will take place from 2-4pm Central Time.

Managing Civil Discourse program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886970186-2325) for 10 continuing education hours. 

  • August 28th: Crucial Conversations Model - Handling High Stakes Discussions
  • September 4th: 4Rs Method - Resolving Institutional and Governance Conflicts
  • September 11th: Nonviolent Communication (NVC) - Managing Emotionally Charged Conflicts
  • September 18th: Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Model - Negotiating Workplace and Institutional Agreements
  • September 25th: DESC Script - Providing Direct Feedback and Advocating for Change

Managing Civil Discourse – A Five-Part Training Series

Crucial Conversations Model – Handling High-Stakes Discussions

This session introduces the Crucial Conversations Model, designed for managing high-stakes conversations where emotions run high. Participants will learn how to establish psychological safety, focus on mutual purpose, and use de-escalation techniques to keep discussions constructive. Applications include faculty hiring and tenure decisions, student protests, policy debates, budget allocations, and crisis response discussions.

4Rs Method – Resolving Institutional and Governance Conflicts

The 4Rs Method (Recognize, Reflect, Reframe, Resolve) is introduced as a structured approach to addressing conflicts between faculty and administration, governance disputes, and policy enforcement challenges. This session focuses on recognizing the root causes of conflicts, fostering institutional reflection, reframing issues as opportunities for improvement, and collaboratively resolving disputes.

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) – Managing Emotionally Charged Conflicts

This session explores the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) Model, which is effective for addressing conflicts with strong emotional components. Participants will learn the four NVC components—Observation, Feeling, Need, Request—and apply them to faculty-student conflicts, discrimination complaints, restorative justice conversations, and addressing microaggressions in educational settings.

Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Model – Negotiating Workplace and Institutional Agreements

This session focuses on the Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Model, which is widely used in negotiations, workplace conflict resolution, and institutional decision-making. Participants will learn strategies for balancing stakeholder priorities and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes in areas such as faculty workload distribution, research funding, donor agreements, and collective bargaining.

DESC Script – Providing Direct Feedback and Advocating for Change

The DESC Script (Describe, Express, Specify, Consequence) model is introduced as a structured method for giving direct feedback and advocating for institutional change. Participants will learn how to apply this model in faculty performance evaluations, policy recommendations, communication breakdowns, and student conduct discussions. This session emphasizes clarity, accountability, and effective advocacy techniques.

Interactive

Each session is interactive, research-backed, and designed for immediate application. All sessions will be available on demand for a year, allowing participants to revisit and reinforce their learning as needed. Participants who complete the full series will be eligible to receive a virtual micro-credential.

Hands-On, Applied Practice for Managing Civil Discourse

The Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies is introducing our Conversation Coaching Clinics to take your skills further with interactive 2-hour Zoom labs that move beyond theory into practice. Each lab focuses on one evidence-based model and equips you with two practical documents. Each lab delivers hands-on practice + applied strategies, helping you shift conversations from conflict to connection across Higher Education settings. 

What’s New in the Labs

  • Two custom-designed tools in every session to apply directly on your campus.
  • Breakout practice in small groups (6–8 participants).
  • De-identified scenarios submitted in advance to personalize learning. 
  • Beyond role-play: multiple ways of learning:
    • Collaborative reflection (polls & word clouds) 
    • Perspective-taking (rotating breakout roles) 
    • Visual mapping (Jamboard/Miro) 
    • Collective synthesis (shared Google Docs) 
    • Script drafting & tone-variation exercises 
    • Scenario-based simulations 
    • Application matrices for power dynamics 

Conversation Coaching Clinics – Hands-On, Applied Practice

Crucial Conversations Model – Labs & Tools

This session introduces the Crucial Conversations Model, designed for managing high-stakes conversations where emotions run high. Participants will learn how to establish psychological safety, focus on mutual purpose, and use de-escalation techniques to keep discussions constructive. Applications include faculty hiring and tenure decisions, student protests, policy debates, budget allocations, and crisis response discussions.

  • Heat Map Worksheet – Spot when dialogue turns crucial 

  • Dialogue Interruption Drill – Restart conversations constructively

4Rs Method – Labs & Tools

The 4Rs Method (Recognize, Reflect, Reframe, Resolve) is introduced as a structured approach to addressing conflicts between faculty and administration, governance disputes, and policy enforcement challenges. This session focuses on recognizing the root causes of conflicts, fostering institutional reflection, reframing issues as opportunities for improvement, and collaboratively resolving disputes.

  • Conflict Mapping Grid – Recognize, Reflect, Reframe, Resolve 

  • Reframe-to-Resolve Builder – Move from triggers to action 

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) – Labs & Tools

This session explores the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) Model, which is effective for addressing conflicts with strong emotional components. Participants will learn the four NVC components—Observation, Feeling, Need, Request—and apply them to faculty-student conflicts, discrimination complaints, restorative justice conversations, and addressing microaggressions in educational settings.

  • Feelings-to-Needs Bridge Worksheet – Link emotions to needs and requests 

  • Dialogue Flip Practice Worksheet – Rewrite judgmental statements into collaborative phrasing 
    (Optional: Integrated Single-Video Worksheet combining both) 

Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Model – Labs & Tools

This session focuses on the Interest-Based Relational (IBR) Model, which is widely used in negotiations, workplace conflict resolution, and institutional decision-making. Participants will learn strategies for balancing stakeholder priorities and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes in areas such as faculty workload distribution, research funding, donor agreements, and collective bargaining.

  • Pre-Negotiation Worksheet – Prepare positions, interests, strategies 

  • Simulation Planner – Conduct structured negotiations with feedback 

DESC Script – Providing Direct Feedback and Advocating for Change

The DESC Script (Describe, Express, Specify, Consequence) model is introduced as a structured method for giving direct feedback and advocating for institutional change. Participants will learn how to apply this model in faculty performance evaluations, policy recommendations, communication breakdowns, and student conduct discussions. This session emphasizes clarity, accountability, and effective advocacy techniques.

  • Advanced Script Builder – Draft and refine scripts in multiple versions 

  • Application Matrix – Adapt across audiences and power dynamics

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

Stay Connected

Follow us on social media, subscribe to our SWCHRS mailing list to receive alerts, and join our learning community to stay updated on the latest webinars, events, and opportunities.

Contact Us

Have questions or need more information? Reach out to us at swchrs@ou.edu.