At the request of PASSHE universities, the Office of the Chancellor has partnered with the non-profit Metropolitan Christian Council of Philadelphia (MCCP) to provide restorative practice training and coaching to interested universities.

Restorative practices examine how to strengthen relationships between individuals and improve social connections within communities. Restorative practices are used in conflict resolution, to create dialogue, to bridge gaps across divided groups, and to build cultures where all members have a voice and work more effectively together (IIRC). Restorative justice is a process to involve, to the extent possible, those who have a stake in the specific offense and to collectively identify and address harms, needs, and obligations, in order to heal and put things as right as possible (Zehr, 2002).

Using restorative practices allows colleges and universities to maintain diverse, interconnected campuses that prepare students and staff for professional and academic success in an equitable and collaborative manner.

The goals of the training taking place in the summer of 2026 are to:

• Highlight practical opportunities to apply the restorative practice tools acquired in everyday campus life
• Learn and experience the efficacy of restorative practices to:
  • foster healthy relationships
  • address conflict
  • reduce microaggressive behavior
  • achieve strategic resolutions to challenges as they arise
  • improve interpersonal conduct

The training will cover practices of restorative circles, principles of restorative justice, and the broader framework of transformative justice to address the root causes of harm. In the long term, we seek to develop a train-the-trainer model to build capacity for restorative practices within universities and across the PASSHE System.