The Ombuds Blog: Ombuds Endorsed for APA

August 22, 2007

Ombuds Endorsed for APA

The Committee on Ethnic Minority Affairs of the American Psychological Association has recommended the organization create an ombuds program. According to its report on Projects/Initiatives of High Priority for 2007:

CEMA strongly supports the development of an independent resource such as a Cultural Ombudsman or mediator within the APA organizational structure. The ombudsman would be an independent resource who would serve as a facilitator or mediator in situations when there is a grievance or conflict rooted in competing interests of diverse groups.

(APA Office of Minority Affairs Communique, see p. 22.)

The world's largest association of psychologists has endorsed university ombuds programs, so it will be interesting to see how it responds to this recommendation. (APA Monitor.)

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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Austria -- Ombudsstelle

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany -- Ombudspersonen

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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