"There's a big difference between debate and dialogue," said mediator Sarah E. Jackson '98. "Our goal is to make sure people communicate effectively."

Mediators are trained in facilitated listening, a skill Epps said is useful for all students because "learning to listen helps prepare you to avoid stereotyping."

Linking the service to specific houses will help both mediators and students.

"I think it would make sense because students don't [currently] take advantage of the service," Jackson said.

"The success of race relations within a house is dependent on dealing in a democratic way with issues of race, class and gender. There needs to be a space for dialogue," he said.

If the administration follows through on its programming initiative, mediators may eventually assist house tutors in stimulating just such a dialogue among students.

"Good communication is a skill we can all stand to benefit from, particularly if we're suddenly living with people that are very different from ourselves," Jackson said.

Discussions focussed on developing listening skills and understanding race relations are designed to educate students in the nuances of diversity in randomized houses.

"In light of randomization, some of the houses may be addressing issues they haven't in the past and this program could help," Byndloss said