The Ombuds Blog: University of Maryland University College Unveils Ombuds Office

February 19, 2014

University of Maryland University College Unveils Ombuds Office

The public, distance-learning university has established an Ombuds Office to serve nearly 100,000 staff, students, and faculty. Blair H. Hayes was appointed in June 2013 and a website for the new office debuted last week. According to a charter for the office, Hayes will practice to IOA Standards.

Hayes joined UMUC in 2004 as the Director of Diversity after working as a consultant in the fields of diversity and equal employment opportunity practices. He graduated from Morehouse College and earned an MA and PhD in social/organizational psychology from Temple University. His research focused on gender and racial dynamics in the workplace. (UMUC Ombuds, Bio; LinkedIn.)

A job posting in October 2012 indicated that UMUC was hiring a "Resolution Services Manager" with duties almost identical to those of an Organizational Ombuds.

Related: Job Posting.

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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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February 19, 2014

University of Maryland University College Unveils Ombuds Office

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