Shelley Jansen has been named as the Campus Ombudsperson for Western State College of Colorado. Jansen wears several hats: her full job title is Associate Vice-President of Student Affairs & Director of Campus Life. In these roles, Jansen is responsible for Judicial Affairs, Health Center, education prevention coordinator, Student Government Association, Wilderness Pursuits, and new student orientation. Jansen has worked at Western since 1999. (WSC News.)
Looks like WSCC doesn't know what an ombudsman is...
ReplyDeleteI agree that Jansen wears several hats and that may lead people to be concerned about her confidentiality, independence and impartiality. However, the website says that the WSSC Ombuds:
ReplyDelete* Can offer assistance or referrals regarding college policies, procedures, and regulations, assists in resolving student-based problems and conflicts.
* Readily accessible to students as a neutral and impartial listener. The emphasis is on resolving issues informally or through mediation.
* Helps to promote fair and equitable treatment within the Western system.
So this sounds right. Being optimistic, the school is trying to offer the service, but may be financially limited.
How in the world does an Ombuds with all these hats do these jobs without total confusion on the part of the Ombuds? How do people in the University judge which "hat" is the "real" one. And university after university is combining roles in EEO inforcement with an Ombuds--in Philosophy this is just another "category mistake."
ReplyDelete