Policies

ICC Austin Bylaws

A Policies – ICC Ends

B Policies – ICC Executive Limitation

C Policies – ICC Board Governance Process

D Policies – ICC Board Staff Relations

If anyone’s safety is at risk, call 911 and contact ICC Austin staff directly. The Conflict Resolution Committee does not handle emergencies or allegations of harassment, discrimination, or violence.

The Conflict Resolution Committee (CR Committee) helps ICC Austin members and house communities work through disputes that have not been resolved after contacting ICC Austin staff. The committee listens to everyone involved, lays out the issue clearly and neutrally, and helps the parties find their own way forward. Its goal is to resolve conflicts at the lowest appropriate level, before they need to go to the full Board of Directors.

The committee is made up of ICC Austin members, including at least one member of the Board of Directors. It is facilitative and advisory only: it does not represent, replace, or speak for ICC Austin staff or the Board, and it cannot make decisions on their behalf.

Start with ICC Austin Staff

The committee hears a concern only after you or your group have contacted ICC Austin staff and still consider the issue unresolved. Contacting staff first is required. The committee exists to support existing channels, not to replace them. If you have not yet contacted staff, the committee will refer you to them first.

What Kinds of Issues Can the Committee Help With?

The committee generally hears:

● Interpersonal or community disputes between members or within a house.

● Disagreements about how a bylaw, policy, or house norm has been interpreted or applied.

● Breakdowns in communication between a member or house and ICC Austin staff or house leadership.

● Concerns that may eventually need Board attention but would benefit from clarification and mediation first. The committee does not hear the following matters. It will help you find the right channel for them:

● Emergencies or immediate threats to health or safety.

● Allegations of harassment, discrimination, or violence.

● Matters under formal legal action, eviction proceedings, or active Board deliberation.

● Employment or personnel matters involving ICC Austin staff.

How to Submit a Concern

1. Contact ICC Austin staff first. Raise the issue with staff and give them a chance to respond.

2. Email the committee at conflict.resolution@iccaustin.coop if the issue remain unresolved. ICC Austin staff do not receive messages sent to this address. Please include:

○ Your name, house, and best way to reach you.

○ Whether you are writing for yourself or on behalf of a group or house;

○ A brief description of the issue and who is involved;

○ When and how you contacted ICC Austin staff, why the issue remains unresolved, proof of contacting ICC Austin staff; and

○ What outcome you are hoping for.

3. Watch for a reply. The committee will acknowledge your concern within 7 days.

What Happens Next

1. Intake. The committee confirms that the concern is within its scope and that staff was contacted first. Concerns outside its scope are referred to the appropriate channel.

2. Hearing. Committee members meet separately with each party to hear their account. They ask clarifying questions but do not make judgments.

3. Mapping. The committee prepares a brief, neutral outline of the issue: who is involved, a timeline, relevant bylaws or policies, steps already taken, and each party’s underlying interests.

4. Mediation. If all parties agree, the committee facilitates a joint conversation. Any agreement is written by the parties themselves; the committee does not impose terms.

5. Closure or referral. If the parties reach an agreement, the committee records it and closes the matter. If not, or if the issue needs a decision that only staff or the Board can make, the committee sends a neutral summary to the appropriate body, which decides whether and how to act.

Your Rights as a Participant

● Participation is voluntary. You may decline any stage, or stop at any time, without consequence.

● Mediation happens only by mutual consent. No one can be required to attend a joint session.

● You will be heard impartially. Committee members with a conflict of interest, such as living in the same house as a party, must disclose it and step aside.

● The committee does not take sides. It does not advocate for any party against another.

● You keep your other options. You remain free to raise your concern directly with ICC Austin staff or the Board at any time. If the Board takes up the matter, the committee will step back.

● You may ask questions about the process or your role at any time. See the full Participant Rights summary document for details.

Confidentiality

What you share stays among committee members and the parties involved. It is shared beyond that circle only with your consent, when a referral to staff or the Board requires or requests it, or when there is a risk to health or safety. The committee’s monthly reports to the Board describe concerns and outcomes without naming the people involved. Hearings and mediation sessions are closed to the public.

Key Documents 

● Conflict Resolution Charter Contact

● Email: conflict.resolution@iccaustin.coop

● Questions about the committee itself, rather than a specific concern, are also welcome at this address.