University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School Names First Ombuds

Pitt's liberal arts college, The Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, has created an Ombuds program for faculty, staff, and students. Lisa Lang is the inaugural Ombudsperson and Director of the Office of the Ombuds. She manages a team that currently includes four part-time, collateral duty Ombuds: Philippa Carter, Graduate Ombudsperson; Deb Artim, Faculty Ombuds; Amy Flick, Faculty Ombuds; and Brent Malin, Faculty Ombuds. (Pitt AS Ombuds.)

Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Reappoints Inaugural Ombuds

Elizabeth (Betsy) Shoenfelt and Margaret (Peggy) Stockdale have been reappointed as the Ombudspersons for the professional association also known as Division 14 of the American Psychological Association. Originally, Shoenfelt was set to serve through 2025, and Stockdale until the end of 2024. Stockdale, however, recently accepted a second term and will now serve through 2027. The pair are volunteers who have been trained to provide services to SIOP members and conference attendees. (SIOP Items of Interest.)

U.S. Department of State Adds Three Ombuds to Growing Office

The Office of the Ombudsman at the State Department has hired three new Associate Ombuds: Johnny Armijo; Eric Kasik; and Elizabeth Stone, CO-OP. In these new, full-time roles, they will report to the State Department Ombuds, Jeanne Juliao, in Washington, DC, and provide services to State Department employees with workplace conflicts. Two of the new Ombuds bring recent professional experience.

Gallaudet University Appoints Interim Ombuds Team

Gallaudet University has named a team of interim Ombuds to maintain services following the departure of Liz Stone, CO-OP, who served in as Ombudsperson since 2015. The team of SooHyun Tak, Ashley Meyer, Malibu Barron, and Jennifer Schneider, CO-OP, will serve as part-time Ombuds during a transitional period through January 31, 2025. Three have prior Ombuds experience. (Gallaudet Ombuds.)

First Audit of Justice Canada's Ombuds is Favorable

In June, the Canadian Department of Justice completed its first formal review of its Ombuds office. The Ombuds and Informal Resolution Services Office (OIRSO) was established in 2021 and is headed by Sonya-Kim St-Julien. The audit report covered fiscal years 2020-21 through 2022-23, and examines issues related to relevance, design and delivery, effectiveness and efficiency.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte Adds an Associate Ombuds

Jen Amano has been hired as the Associate Ombuds for UNCC, the large public university in southwestern North Carolina. Reporting to Scott Deyo, CO-OP, she will expand the office and provide services primarily to undergraduate students.

Providence College Ratifies Ombuds Charter

The President and Faculty Senate of the private Catholic university in Rhode Island has endorsed and published a Charter for its new Faculty Ombuds office. The document defines and protects the Ombuds program established by Marguerite M. Dorn in June 2024 and adopts IOA standards or practice without exceptions. (Providence Ombuds Charter.)

Grinnell College Selects Next Ombuds

Deborah Dodge, CO-OP, has been appointed the Ombudsperson for the small, private liberal arts college in Iowa. She follows Grinnell's inaugural Ombuds, Chinyere Ukabiala, who established the program in in 2012. In the full-time role, Dodge will serve all members of the campus community following IOA standards and report to the college president. She will begin in December 2024.

Bowdoin College Signs Ombuds Charter

Earlier this week, the President of the private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine endorsed a charter for its Ombuds Office. The document defines and protects the program established by Jacqueline M. Reese since her appointment in 2023. The charter adopts IOA standards of practice with no exceptions.

University of Minnesota Restaffs Office for Conflict Resolution

Adepeju ('Peju) O. Solarin was appointed the Director of the Office for Conflict Resolution at the U of M in April 2024 and Max Markin joined as Assistant Director in September. Together, they provide Ombuds and related services to serves faculty, staff, and student workers. Meanwhile, finn j. schneider continues as University Ombud and Director of the similarly-named but separate Student Conflict Resolution Center. (UMN OCR.)

Podcast: CEDR Hosts Four Ombuds

The latest podcase from the Center for Effective Dispute Resolutions explores the crucial role Ombuds services play in resolving workplace conflicts and how mediator skills are essential in achieving resolution. CEDR's Chief Executive, James South, speaks with four Ombuds with extensive and extensive experience from both public and private sectors: Youssoupha Niang (UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency); Judit Revesz (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies); James Claxton (United Nations Funds and Programmes); and Estelle Ghyselinck (Sanofi).

Job Posting: City of Philadelphia

Philadelphia is hiring another Assistant Employee Ombudsperson. The full-time position will report to the inaugural Employee Ombudsperson, Shakeya Foreman., who has been building out an office for the past year. The full-time position will be responsible for responding to city employees with workplace issues case management, data collection, and administrative tasks. The work will be hybrid with some in-office days.

Job Posting (Nonconforming): AUI Online

American InterContinental University has opened a search for its first Ombudsman. AUI is a private for-profit university based in Schaumburg, Illinois, but the full-time position is advertised as fully remote. It is owned by the for-profit company Perdoceo Education Corporation. The position will establish and manage a program that is not expected to meet IOA standards. The job description appears to be a complaint manager and includes these duties: 

Externship: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

The FDIC's Office of the Internal Ombuds is seeking two Student Trainees. The paid, part-time positions will provide "administrative support in the areas of addressing workplace-related concerns and employee engagement/workplace improvement initiatives." The positions require at least 24-hours per week during the full academic year and full time during summer/holiday breaks, and are based in Washington, DC. Interns are eligible for hire after successful completion of the program requirements, including at least 480 hours of work experience.

Introducing the Inaugural Ombuds for the University of Mississippi Medical Center

In November 2023, Erin Vaughn Jones was appointed the first Ombudsperson for UMMC, the health sciences campus of the University of Mississippi. In this new role, Jones reports administratively to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and provides services to faculty, staff, students, and trainees for the health system, which comprises seven schools, four teaching hospitals, and many other clinics and research facilities.