Job Posting: Duke University

The private university in Durham, North Carolina is hiring an Associate Ombuds (despite a university-wide staff hiring freeze). The position will report to the University Ombuds, Jessica Kuchta-Miller, and serve all faculty, staff, and students (with the exception of unionized employees and employees of Duke Health System). The Duke Ombuds Office practices to IOA standards.

Organization of American States Appoints Interim Ombuds

OAS (Organización de los Estados Americanos) has appointed Jean Ricot Dormeus as its Interim Ombudsperson. He follows Neida Pérez, who served in the position for the past eight years. The OAS Office of the Ombudsperson was established in 2015 and provides conflict resolution services to all personnel of the General Secretariat following IOA standards. 

Save the Date for ACCUO 2027 Conference

The Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons (Association des ombudsmans des universités et collèges du Canada) will hold its next conference at Toronto Metropolitan University on 3-6 May 2027. Ombuds and allied colleagues from higher education will spend for days on professional development, meaningful discussion, knowledge sharing, and networking. The registration fee is $450 CAD for ACCUO members and $500 for nonmembers. More details will be posted here when available. (ACCUO Events.)

IOA Opens Election for 2027 Board of Directors

On Monday, members of the International Ombuds Association begin voting for five open seats on the IOA Board of Directors. Sixteen candidates are running (the largest slate ever), with two current directors seeking a second term and fourteen new candidates seeking election for their first term. The Ombuds Blog does not endorse candidates; information is provided only for reference. Candidate statements and biographies are available to members on the IOA website. 

University of California, Davis Hires New Associate Ombuds

The Ombuds Office at UC Davis has hired Emily Fine as an Associate Ombuds. Fine joined the office in October 2026 and reports to Ombuds and Director Lauren Bloom. She is expected to split her time between campuses in Davis and Sacramento.

Job Posting: United Nations

The Office of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services (UNOMS) is seeking a Consultant for Informal Conflict Resolution. The fully remote position will provide confidential informal dispute resolution services, including mediation, to UN personnel from January through June 2027. The consultant will report to the Regional Ombudsman and/or Chief of Service and will also assist with outreach and skill-building activities to promote conflict competence among staff. 

"Philly at Work" Spotlights Employee Ombuds

The City of Philadelphia has released a video featuring Employee Ombudsperson Shakeya Foreman as part of its “Philly at Work: Looking Out for Each Other” series. With warmth and humor, Foreman discusses how her office provides City employees with a neutral space to discuss workplace concerns, explore options, and consider possible next steps outside formal workplace processes. (YouTube.)

Cathy Jones: Former University of Georgia Faculty Ombuds

Catherine M. Jones, a longtime professor and former Faculty Ombudsperson at the University of Georgia passed on October 24, 2026, at the age 70. Jones joined UGA in 1987 and served as Faculty Ombudsperson from 2011 until 2017. 

Job Posting: San Diego State University

SDSU is seeking a Student Ombudsman Case Coordinator to support its Office of the Student Ombuds. The full-time position will report to Karla Ramirez, who has worked in the office since 2001 and has served as Student Ombuds since September 2025. The coordinator will assist students with academic, administrative, financial, enrollment, and housing concerns through individualized guidance, case coordination, conflict coaching, referrals, and support for informal resolution. The appointment is temporary, anticipated to end June 30, 2027, with the possibility of reappointment. 

Central State University Names next Ombuds

Rayshawn L. Eastman has been selected to head the Office of Student Experience and Resolution at Central State University. He succeeds the inaugural Ombuds, Marc DeWitt, who held the position until his passing earlier this year. The office describes its work in terms consistent with the Organizational Ombuds model, including providing students with a neutral, confidential, and independent resource for addressing concerns and navigating university processes.

Job Posting: Lakewood University

The private, non-profit university based in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, is seeking its first full-time Student Success Ombudsman. Reporting to the Vice President of Administrations and located within the Student Services department, the Ombuds will help students navigate university processes, address complaints and grievances, and resolve concerns through communication and mediation. The full-time, in-person position emphasizes student support, complaint management, and assistance navigating institutional processes. 

CPR: UN Guide Offers Lessons for Ombuds and Dispute System Designers

In an article for the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution, Giuseppe De Palo, former Ombudsman for United Nations Funds and Programmes, examines the implications of a new UN publication, An Anti-Corruption Ethics and Compliance Programme for Business: A Practical Guide. De Palo discusses its relevance for dispute system designers, including how accessible, informal conflict resolution channels can help organizations address corruption and unethical behavior before it escalates. 

Austria Publishes Updated Directory of Higher Education Ombuds Offices

The Austrian Agency for Research Integrity (ÖAWI) has published the seventh edition of Ombudsstellen und ähnliche Einrichtungen im österreichischen Hochschul- und Forschungsraum (Ombuds Offices and Similar Institutions in Austrian Higher Education and Research). Published earlier this year, the 231-page directory catalogs Ombuds offices and related services across Austria’s higher education and research sectors, documenting their institutional settings and areas of responsibility. 

IOA Opens Scholarship Applications for 2027 Annual Conference

The International Ombuds Association is offering scholarships to its 2027 Annual Conference, which will take place in person in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 15–17, 2027. The initiative supports new and aspiring Ombuds who lack organizational or institutional funding to attend. Applicants must be IOA members with less than one year of Organizational Ombuds practice. The scholarship covers full conference registration and a $500 stipend for travel expenses. 

Job Posting: Kent State University

The public university in Northeast Ohio, is seeking a Student Ombudsperson to succeed Amy Quillin. Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Student Life, the Ombuds assists current, former, and prospective students with university-related concerns and grievances through policy interpretation, consultation, mediation, and informal and formal resolution strategies. The position also advises faculty, staff, and administrators on student-related conflicts, recommends policy and procedural changes, and participates in university committees. 

IAIABC Offers Ombuds Training

The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions will offer a virtual Ombuds Training on October 27, 2026. The program includes sessions sessions designed for worker’s compensation Ombuds (cross-jurisdictional issues and protecting injured workers from scams), while other sessions are relevant to all Ombuds (artificial intelligence in Ombuds work, and compassion fatigue and self-regulation).

Norman Altman: Former University of Miami Ombuds

Norman H. Altman, a longtime faculty member and former Ombuds for the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, passed on October 12, 2026, at the age of 88. Altman joined the medical school in 1974 as an associate professor of pathology and spent 44 years at the institution. He founded the Division of Comparative Pathology in 1981 and held numerous leadership positions, including director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, senior associate dean for research, and vice provost for research. 

Job Posting: Harvard University

The private research university in Cambridge is hiring an Ombuds I to join its Cambridge team. The full-time, hybrid position is a benefits-eligible term appointment through June 2028, with the possibility of extension, and requires 35 hours per week and at least two to three days on campus. 

Call for Session Proposals: ENOHE 2027 Conference

The European Network of Ombuds in Higher Education will hold its 22nd annual conference at the University for Continuing Education Krems in Austria, on June 2–4, 2027. The theme is “Where Does the Ombuds Stand? Position, Independence and Governance in Higher Education.” The conference will explore the Ombuds’ place within higher education institutions, including relationships with institutional leadership, staff and students, and other offices involved in conflict management and institutional development. 

Job Posting: Department of War Education Activity

DoWEA, the federal prekindergarten–12th grade school system serving military-connected families, is hiring an Associate Ombudsman. The full-time, permanent position is within the Office of the Chief of Staff Ombuds and Resolution Services Branch in Alexandria, Virginia, and is eligible for telework. Responsibilities include coordinating consultations to resolve complex conflicts, conducting informal dispute resolution, analyzing stakeholder concerns and systemic issues, advising leadership, and developing conflict management training and outreach. Travel is not required.