Update: U.N. Staff Objects to New Ombuds

Less than a week after American dispute resolution expert John Barkat was appointed to lead a reformed and integrated UN Ombuds office, the head of the UN Staff Union has lodged a formal protest. A letter from Stephen Kisambira, President of the United Nations Staff Union, complained that the staff were excluded from the selection process. The Inner City Press provides additional details:

The Staff Union's beef for Barkat's resume is that while they say he claimed to have been ombudsman for 2000 staffers at Pace University in New York, that school only has some 300 staffers. All of the rest are part-time or adjuncts, so they say the use of the number is misleading.

A UN spokesperson said she didn't know what will happen next, if anything. (Kisambira Letter; Inner City Press; UN Press Briefing.)

Prior post: Barkat Appointed U.N. Ombuds

The letter and article raise more questions than they answer. Most significantly, it is curious that the letter does not mention the allegation about Barkat's resume. It is also concerning and surprising that staff would have been omitted from the selection process. Finally, there are some discrepancies with regard to the staff numbers referenced. According to the Pace website, the university employs 1,448 staff (963 full-time and 485 part-time). In addition, 460 full-time and 730 part-time faculty work at Pace. While these issues may blunt the staff's complaint, no doubt Barkat will be mending bridges from the outset.

Barkat Appointed U.N. Ombuds

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed John Barkat, the new U.N. Ombudsman with the rank of assistant secretary-general. As head of a revamped Ombuds Office, Barkat will serve the U.N. Secretariat and all the U.N. funds and programs facilitating informal resolution of conflicts and mediate issues involving U.N. staff worldwide. Barkat has served as the Ombudsman for Pace University and as an instructor of conflict resolution and mediation at Columbia University's International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution. He has chaired the Ombuds committees for the American Bar Association and the Association for Conflict Resolution, and is a past president of the International Ombudsman Association. (UN News Center; AP via PR Inside; Pace U. Ombuds.

Related posts: UN Budget Increases Funds and Scope of Ombuds Office; Pace Ombuds Office Profiled.

Secretary-General Meets UN Ombuds

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) poses for a picture with John Barkat, United Nations Ombudsman, at a reception hosted by Mr. Barkat to welcome new mediation staff to his Office. (UN Photo.) Apparently, the new staff had to resort to photobombing.

Related posts: Barkat Appointed U.N. Ombuds; UN Ombuds Reports on Activities Amid Concerns Over Progress on Reformed Justice System.

Pace University Closing Ombuds Office

After nearly a dozen years, Pace University has decided to close its Ombuds Office effective June 18, 2009. For 11 years, the office was headed by John Barkat, who became the United Nations Ombudsman. Since his departure, Pat Barnes has been the Interim University Ombuds. William J. McGrath, the Chief Administrative Officer assured the campus that the important work of the Pace Ombuds Office would be continued through other resources, including employee relations, dean of students, and the affirmative action office. (Pace News.)

Related posts: Pace Ombuds Office Profiled; Barkat Appointed U.N. Ombuds; Pace University Appoints Interim Ombuds.

John W. Zinsser said...

The continuing trend of OO offfice being closed is troubling.

The letter offered to the PACE community by William J. McGrath is worth reading in its entirety. (It is available here.)

The letter positions the Chief Administrative Officer of this University as seeing both the process and contribution of the OO as obtainable by via other mechanisms. That is, the ombuds office had no unique contribution nor defining value proposition - at least as far as this letter goes.

Anyone knowing John Barkat can be absolutely certain that no stone was left unturned to make clear to Pace the difference between processes deployed by the OO and other functions. Yet, today, the administration of this University is unable to say the Ombuds Office's processes or outcomes are defensible and valuable in the current climate.

Unfortunately this is not a unique event. Offices are being closed, with increasing frequency - including programs of "historical significance" (CalTech), and those formerly led by some of the very finest practitioners (Pace).

In spite of these "signs on the wall," most programs are not prepared to make a compelling argument as to WHAT they offer their institutions so as to be essential and a "must have."

I ask you to think carefully, not just about how you do your work, but, about what makes you of need to your institution?

What distinguishes you?

What is your unique proposition? Both in terms of process and outcomes what will make those who contribute to, grant to you, your authorizing environment, say "We HAVE to have the ombuds!"

Respectfully, and with best wishes for the people of Pace, who as of the close of this program, will be without something unique, useful, and valuable - whether they know it or not.

Pace University Appoints Interim Ombuds

Pace University has announced that Patricia Barnes will assume the job of interim University Ombuds, replacing John Barkat who was appointed the new UN Ombuds last month. Barnes currently serves as Assistant Ombuds at Pace and has served as the director of the Westchester Mediation Center, and director of training for the Dispute Resolution Center of Orange and Putnam Counties in New York. She serves as an instructor of conflict resolution at Columbia University and regularly conducts mediations for the U.S. Postal Service. She holds a BA in Psychology from Southern Oregon University and a JD from the University of Oregon. (My Pace.)

Related post: Barkat Appointed U.N. Ombuds.

UN Ombuds to Headline ABA Dispute Resolution Conference

John Barkat will be the featured plenary speaker at the American Bar Association, 18th Annual Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference in New York, April 7-9, 2016. Barkat, the Assistant Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services Office, will speak on Thursday morning and his remarks are titled "The Naked Prince: Conflict, Change & the Art of Collaborative Leadership." 

UN Ombuds to Address International Humanitarian Conference

John Barkat, the United Nations Ombudsman and Assistant Secretary-General, is a featured speaker at the Academic Council on the United Nations System conference later this week. The meeting marks the opening of ACUNS European Center in Marseille and will focus on challenges facing the international humanitarian community. Barkat will welcome participants and offer keynote remarks. (Press Release; ACUNS Conf.; Agenda.)

UN Ombuds Addresses University of Granada

Johnston Barkat, Deputy Secretary General and Ombudsman for the United Nations, addressed the School of Political Science and Faculty at the Spanish university this week. Barkat explained that mediation can provide significant savings, but only if participants are willing to be actively involved in the process. In addition, the mediator must keep the parties' confidence through neutrality, actively listening, and responsiveness. (EP Social, Google translation.)

Related post: UN Ombuds Reports on Reorganization Efforts.

U.N. Secretary-General Meets New Ombuds

On May 5, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meet with Johnston Barkat, newly appointed United Nations Ombudsman at the UN headquarters in New York. (UN Photo.)

Prior post: Barkat Appointed U.N. Ombuds

Job Posting: United Nations Regional Ombuds Offices

The UN Integrated Office of the Ombudsman is hiring Regional Ombuds to head offices in Geneva and Bangkok. These two positions will report to the UN Ombudsman, John Barkat, and will be responsible for establishing and managing the work of the Branch Ombuds Ofices, providing impartial, independent and informal conflict-resolution for UN staff and personnel, including those at field stations.

UN Ombuds Reports on Reorganization Efforts

In his first annual report, newly appointed United Nations Ombudsman, John Barkat, provides an update on the transition to a single integrated and decentralized office. Most notably, the office has been given the authority to expand from 9 employees in New York to 33 employees spread among eight UN locations worldwide. Selection of additional staff is expected by the end of 2008. The report also summarizes systemic issues identified in 670 cases opened between August 1, 2007, and July 31, 2008. (UN Bibliographic System, Document Symbol: A/63/283.)

Related posts: UN Budget Increases Funds and Scope of Ombuds Office; Barkat Appointed U.N. Ombuds; Job Posting.

IOA Posts 2013 Conference Agenda, Opens Registration

Registration is now open for the Eighth Annual Conference of the International Ombudsman Association, April 19-24, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency in Miami, Florida. Special pricing is being offered for attendees who also register for a pre-conference professional development course. Priority registration closes on April 1.  

Here's an overview of the conference sessions:

Update: UN Ombuds Reports Growing Demand for Service

At a press briefing this afternoon, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Ombudsman John Barkat joined other administrators to report on the organization's new justice system. Barkat said his office has opened 536 cases in the first five months of 2010, a 70% increase from the same period last year.

UN Ombuds Reports on Activities Amid Concerns Over Progress on Reformed Justice System

On November 20, 2008, John Barkat, the United Nations Ombuds, provided a report to the Fifth Committee of the UN General Assembly. Among other matters, Barkat reported the Ombuds Office is revising its terms of reference, and working on the establishment of a Mediation Division and making progress on selecting Regional Ombuds for the seven new branches of the Office. Additionally, according to a recent online report, the UN Budget Committee has also raised some concerns about the slow progress on efforts to reform the UN's internal justice system. UN member states reiterated the urgent need for reform of the UN's justice system and expressed regret over “numerous delays and tasks outstanding” and insisted that exceeding the deadline of January 1, 2009 was “not an option.” Michael Scanlon of the United States also called for clarifying the respective roles of the Office of the Ombudsman and Ethics Office. (7th Space.)

Related posts: UN Budget Increases Funds and Scope of Ombuds Office; Job Posting; UN Ombuds Reports on Reorganization Efforts.

IOA Announces Agenda for Minneapolis Conference

The International Ombudsman Association has posted details of its 13th annual conference set for Minneapolis, April 21-23.  While the full agenda is not yet complete, most of the speakers and topics have been announced.  For the first time, conference organizers are trying to give attendees more information by indicating the level of experience and sector (industry) for each session.

United Nations Appoints American to be Next Ombudsman

Shireen L. Dodson, the Ombudsman of the U.S. State Department, has been tapped as the next UN Ombudsman. She succeeds Johnston Barkat who served two five-year terms in the role. Dodson has been the State Department Ombuds since 2010. In her new role, she will run the UN Ombudsman and Mediation Services office, which provides dispute resolution, coaching, change management and leadership training for nearly 75,000 people around the world from the UN headquarters in New York.

CPR 2015 Annual Meeting in San Diego Will Feature Panel of Ombuds

The next meeting of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution will include a panel session on Ombuds.  The conference is set for February 19-21 at The Lodge at Torrey Pines.

Pace Ombuds Office Profiled

The campus newspaper at Pace University published a thorough profile of the university's ombuds office. The office marked its 10-year anniversary of providing ombuds and mediation services to faculty, students and staff. University ombuds John S. Barkat, who has been with the office since it has opened in 1997, is assisted by Patricia Barnes, Jeanne Marie Madison and Susan W. Coleman. (Pace Press.)

United Nations Begins Search for Next Ombudsman

The UN Secretariat has asked its 193 member states to submit nominations for the next UN Ombudsman. The Assistant Secretary-General position manages the Office of the UN Ombudsman and Mediation Services, headquartered in New York and with regional branches in Bangkok, Entebbe, Geneva, Kinshasa, Nairobi, Santiago, and Vienna. American Johnston Barkat has served in the role since April 2008.  The initial appointment is for five year and may be renewed once.

Journal Marks Tenth Anniversary of International Ombudsman Association

The latest issue of the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association is the first of two editions celebrating the ten years of IOA. The is the first issue from new co-editors, Howard Gadlin and Samantha Levine-Finley.