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What the Ombuds can do:
- Provide a safe, informal and confidential setting where students feel respected and can be candid about their concerns
- Listen intently and discuss conflicts, disputes, concerns and complaints that students have about the functioning of the University, including its policies and procedures, the actions of others and unfair treatment
- Help students evaluate and select among a variety of options to address their concerns
- Facilitate communications between students and appropriate departments
- Make referrals and assist in creating a helping network for students
- Coach students through dispute resolution processes
- Advise students about potential resolution possibilities
- Engage in mediation between parties that finding it difficult to solve a problem on their own
- Identify and recommend the need for change and improvements in University policies, procedures, and patterns of treatment
What the Ombuds cannot do:
- Participate or disclose any information in formal grievance processes, hearings or legal proceedings
- Make any decisions within the other departments and parts of the university
- Determine the guilt or innocence and assign sanctions
- Provide legal advice
To support the Campus Community, the Office of Ombuds offer six types of services students, faculty, staff, administrators, and/or other visitors.
Assistance for Students and/or Other Visitors
Confidential Consultation
The Office of the Ombuds provides consultation-only services. The Ombuds will serve the visitor by providing information and assisting with exploration of various resolution options and developing action plans to pursue resolution on an individual basis. In a confidential consultation, no action is taken by the Office of the Ombuds. In this form of Ombuds assistance, the visitor shares and discusses questions and concerns in order to gather advice about how best to proceed with resolving a matter independently. Active Resolution
The Ombuds will serve the visitor by providing information and assisting with exploration of various resolution options along with developing action plans to pursue resolution as facilitated by the Office of the Ombuds. In an active resolution, action is taken by the Office of the Ombuds. With this form of Ombuds assistance, the visitor shares and discusses questions and concerns in order to gather advice about how best to proceed with resolving a matter in collaboration with the Office of the Ombuds. The Office of the Ombuds will speak with both the visitor as well as any and all relevant university personnel and other individuals related to the case in order to ensure resolution. Active resolution means case content and any information shared by a visitor may be used throughout the resolution process and in consultation with University Officials with a legitimate educational interest, to conduct a comprehensive review of the case and determine the appropriate resolution.
Assistance for Faculty, Staff and/or Administrators
Confidential Consultation
The Office of the Ombuds provides consultation-only services. The Ombuds will serve the visitor by providing information and assisting with exploration of various resolution options and developing action plans to pursue resolution on an individual basis. In a confidential consultation, no action is taken by the Office of the Ombuds. In this form of Ombuds assistance, the visitor shares and discusses questions and concerns in order to gather advice about how best to proceed with resolving a matter independently. Referral Services
The Office of the Ombuds will serve the individual whom the faculty/staff refer to our office by providing information and assisting the individual with exploring various options. The Office of the Ombuds will reach out to the individual being referred to invite them in for a conversation regarding concerns they may have. Policy Review
The Office of the Ombuds will provide a systematic and critical review of policies to aid department and offices in their own goals of enhancing student and program experiences. Once we have completed the policy review, the submitter will receive a Policy Review Report that articulates specific policy recommendations. Ex-Officio Committee Involvement
The Office of the Ombuds will serve the committee in which they have been invited to serve in an ex-officio (non-voting) capacity by providing information and assisting with exploration of various policies, processes and resolution options that support the mission, vision and charge of the committee. Additionally, the office will share trends, observations and insights as they relate to the concerns that have been surfaced within the office that would help inform and provide context to the mission, vision and charge of the committee.