Ombuds Survey Harassment Practices in Canadian Higher Ed

The Association of Canadian College and University Ombudsperson has posted a summary of a peer-reviewed paper that soon will be published by Defensoría de los Derechos Univeristarios de la UNAM with the title “Acoso Escolar : Prevención y Sensibilización” (“Addressing Harassment in the Promotion of Equity and Fairness: A Perspective from Canadian University Ombuds”). 

The paper's authors, Brent Epperson, Graduate Ombudsperson at the University of Alberta, and Julie Boncompain, Associate Ombudsperson at Concordia University, surveyed 37 ACCUO institutions to gain an understanding how Canadian colleges and universities manage workplace harassment.  

They found that...

more than half of the [harassment] cases that come to higher education ombudsmen relate to social media. Another one-third are cases of psychological harassment, and the rest pertain to sexual harassment. None of the members manages workplace harassment complaints (labour grievances); instead, government policies and collective agreements usually regulate these cases, which Canadian universities view to be beyond the mandates of higher education ombudsmen.

The results are significant for anyone seeking to understand how Ombuds work with complainants on discrimination issues. Moreover, the study adds to the definition of Ombuds work, especially within higher education. (ACCUO News.)

Related posts: Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons Publishes Standards of Practice; ACCUO Chronicles Three Decades of Ombuds in Higher Education; Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons Publishes Toolkit for New Offices; ACCUO Publishes Fairness Resource Guide; ACCUO List of Past Conferences Highlights Ombuds History; ACCUO's New Website Offers Resources for Canadian Higher Ed Ombuds; ACCUO Publishes Study of Ombuds' Impact; Call for Proposals: ACCUO-ENOHE Joint 2018 Conference.