Ombuds Academy Launches Training for Developing Ombuds

Reese Ramos has launched Ombuds Academy, a new training program for aspiring and early-career Ombuds. Ramos, an Ombuds with more than 25 years of experience, said the program responds to demand for more practical insight into the realities of Ombuds practice and opportunities to connect with experienced practitioners. The Academy’s flagship course, Ombuds Fundamentals, introduces the principles, challenges, and day-to-day dynamics of Ombuds work and is priced at $1,295 for four half-day sessions.

Podcast: Insights from a Longtime Ombuds

Reece Ramos, the University Ombuds at Virginia Tech and founder of the Ombuds Academy is the guest this week on "Conflict Managed," a podcast hosted by Merry Brown. Ramos has been an Ombuds for 25 years and is a past president of IOA. In this podcast, he shares insights from his years of work as an Ombuds.

Virginia Tech Names First University Ombuds

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has announced that Reese Ramos will be its first Director of the University Ombuds Office. Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said, “I am confident Reese’s vision and energy will support our commitment to a culture of respect for all members of the university community as he leads the development of our new ombuds office.”

Ramos is a past president of IOA and served as the Ombuds for Sandia National Laboratories from 2002 to late 2018. He will build an IOA-compliant program that serves faculty, staff, and students. In addition to his 17 years at Sandia, Ramos worked as an Ombuds at UCLA, Earthjustice in San Francisco, and National Park Services. He graduated from Pepperdine University and earned his law degree from the University of the Pacific. (VT News.)

Related posts: Sandia National Labs Shutters Ombuds Program; Guest Post: The Thread that Unites Us All – A Celebration of Ombuds Day; Job Posting.

Guest Post: Reese Ramos on the Impact of AI

In this special post, Reese Ramos, the University Ombuds & Director at Virginia Tech, offers his perspective on the growing impact of AI on Ombuds work. I deeply appreciate and respect his insights on the Ombuds profession.

Here is his full essay:

U.S. Department of Education Rejects IOA's Clery Act Arguments

The International Ombudsman Association has revealed that the Department of Education rebuffed its arguments that University Ombuds should be exempt from the mandatory reporting requirements of campus crime data under the Clery Act.  

IOA Posts Agenda for Tenth Annual Conference

The International Ombudsman Association will mark its tenth anniversary at an annual conference in Atlanta, April 19-22.  Here's an overview of the conference which will be held at the Sheraton Atlanta:

Sandia National Labs Shutters Ombuds Program

The National Nuclear Security Administration research and development laboratory has announced the immediate closure of its Corporate Ombuds Office immediately. The move affects Mauricio "Reese" Ramos, Sandia's the Ombuds in Livermore, CA, and Jennifer Stinebaugh, the Ombuds in New Mexico. No explanation was given for the decision, but it may be lined to the recent management change--Honeywell International took over management of Sandia in May 2017. 

IOA Pushes Back on Department of Education's Stance on Clery Act

The International Ombudsman Association has responded to a recent statement by the U.S. Department of Education that Ombuds "generally meet the criteria" for mandatory reporting of campus crimes under the Clery Act.  For many years,  whether an Ombuds would be required to break confidentiality and report details of crimes has been considered a non-issue within the profession. A letter from IOA President Reese Ramos explains how the Department's updated handbook for Clery compliance "seriously misrepresents" the role of Ombuds.

IOA Announces New Board Members

International Ombudsman Association President Reese Ramos says that the Board of Directors has appointed new members. The announcement from Ramos said:

New Ombuds at Sandia

Mauricio ("Reese") Ramos is leaving UCLA to join the ombuds office at Sandia National Laboratories. Ramos will work out of Sandia's facility in Livermore, California, and provide dispute resolution services and training for employees. (Related Ombuds Blog post Musical Chairs at the University of California.)

Virginia Commonwealth University Ombuds Announces 2024 Conflict Resolution Day Event

Since 2013, VCU's Ombudsperson, William King, has sponsored a National Conflict Resolution Day program. This year, his signature event on October 17, 2024will feature a keynote by Reese Ramos, University Ombuds for Virginia Tech. The theme for his address is "The Power of the Dark Side – Being Comfortable with the Uncomfortable." The rest of the day includes panel discussions and group work on managing conflict with other campus leaders. As usual, the event is free and open to the public.

Revitalized California Caucus Opens Registration for Fall 2010 Meeting

The California Caucus of College & University Ombuds will hold its 37th meeting at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California, November 7-10, 2010. Registration is now open for the event, which has the theme, "The Ecology of Ombudsing – Building Sustainable Value."

UCLA Ombuds Office Marks 40 Years of Service

The Office of Ombuds Services at the University of California Los Angeles will host an open house March 31 to celebrate more than four decades of service to the campus.  An article in the staff and faculty newsletter profiles the office headed by Kathleen Canul and including Brenda Woods-Patin, Katy Kolodziejski, Thomas Griffin and Tom Kosakowski.

IOA Announces New Board Members for 2018

The International Ombudsman Association has announced the results of the annual election for its 2018 Board of Directors. Beginning April 24, following the Annual Business Meeting, seven new directors will join the IOA Board. The following individuals were elected to three-year terms:

IOA Announces Officers for 2015-16

On the last day of its tenth annual conference, the Board of the International Ombudsman Association announced the election of new officers.  The follwoing will serve terms through the next annual conference:

IOA Announces Pre-Conference Training Opportunities in Miami

The International Ombudsman Association will offer several, half-day training programs before its annual conference in Miami on April 21, 2013.

Ombuds Year in Review: 2018 (Part 3)

The annual recap of the top ten Ombuds stories concludes today. Next week, readers will have a chance to express their opinion and vote on the list.

AI and the Humanizing Role of the Organizational Ombuds

A new article in Conflict Resolution Quarterly addresses the role of Ombuds and the effects of AI. Brian Green, the Associate Ombuds and Director of Programs at Emory University is the author of "Artificial Intelligence, Bureaucratic Dehumanization, and the Organizational Ombuds." He argues that Ombuds should approach AI cautiously and critically, viewing it through their core function as humanizers within organizational systems. 

Centre for Informal Dispute Resolution Opens Registration for First Ombuds Conference

CIDR at Saint Paul University in Ottawa has announced details for its first Ombuds-focused conference on May 6-7, 2024. The hybrid event, "The Ombuds: Foundations, Best Practices, and Development," will bring together practitioners and researchers in conflict resolution and the Ombuds field to discuss the evolution of Ombuds practice. The organizers, Brent Epperson and Jean-François Rioux, have released the full agenda:

Job Posting: Virginia Tech

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the public research university in Blacksburg, will expand its Ombuds Office with the hiring of its first Associate Ombuds. The position will report to the Director & University Ombuds, Reese Ramos, and provide services to all campus stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and students. This is not a remote position, but is eligible for a telework/hybrid schedule.