Job Posting: Utah Valley University

The large public university in Orem is seeking its next Assistant Director of Student Conflict Resolution/Ombuds. The search will fill a position recently vacated by Victoria Cruz, who was promoted to Deputy Dean of Students. The full-time Ombuds position serves a student body of 37,000 and reports to the VP of Student Affairs. In addition, UVU's Ombuds oversees an Ombuds Fellowship Program.

University of Virginia Selects Next Ombuds

UVA has named Riley E. Barrar as its new University Ombuds. She will lead a program that serves nearly 40,000 faculty, staff, and students and supervises the UVA Health Ombuds, Henry Yampolsky, and a Program Coordinator.

Boston University Selects an Experienced Associate Ombuds

Samantha Levine-Finley has been appointed the new Associate Ombuds at BU, joining University Ombuds Francine Montemurro and Associate Ombuds Lailul Ikram. 

Johns Hopkins Expands Ombuds Services to All University Staff

JHU will expand its Ombuds Office this fall to provide services to university staff. The office was established in 2021 to serve PhD students and postdoctoral fellows and expanded last year to include master's and medical students. The office, led by Annalisa Peterson, will add an Associate Ombuds as it begins serving staff. 

ABA Ombuds Committee Begins Open Monthly Meetings

The American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution Ombuds Committee will begin monthly meetings on August 25, 2026. These meetings are free and open to "practicing ombuds from any sector, ombuds-curious, or just want to connect with individuals dedicated to the work." Bathabile K. S. Mthombeni and Matt Ricke are the committee co-chairs. Subsequent meetings are planned for: September 22, October 27, and November 24, 2026; and January 26, February 23, and March 23, 2027. (ABA Events.)

Ombuds Returns to University for Peace

UPEACE, the United Nations-affiliated university in Costa Rica, has reappointed Kathya Araya as its Ombudsperson. Araya previously served in the role from 2020 to 2022 and returns to the position following a search launched earlier this year. The Ombudsperson provides confidential guidance to students, staff, visiting faculty and scholars, interns, consultants, contractors, and others covered by university policies, with responsibilities including the prevention and resolution of prohibited conduct. 

FCO Announces 2026 Conference

The Forum of Canadian Ombudsman has released details for its 2026 conference. The event will take place at the Delta Hotels Quebec City on October 19-22, 2026. The conference theme is "Ombuds: Institution of Trust - Strengthening Public Confidence" and registration is now open. 

Here are the scheduled speakers:

Job Posting (RFP): Madison Area Technical College

Madison Area Technical College, the public technical college in Madison, Wisconsin, is seeking experienced independent professionals to establish a pool of Organizational Ombuds Consultants. Selected 1099 independent contractors will provide external, confidential, impartial, and informal conflict resolution services to college employees on an as-needed basis. The college anticipates utilizing each consultant for approximately 50–100 hours per year at a compensation rate of $80–$100 per hour. 

Job Posting: World Food Programme

WFP is seeking an Ombuds Officer (Outreach & Communication) at the P-4 level for its Office of the Ombudsperson and Mediation Services in Rome. The position reports to the Ombuds, Katya Melluish, and will lead the office's outreach and communication strategy, capacity-building program, and communication campaigns while also providing confidential Ombuds services, including coaching, mediation, and other informal conflict resolution services.

Relay Graduate School of Education Opens Ombuds Program

The private graduate school for teachers based in New York City has created a Student Ombudsman Service for its 5,000 enrolled students. According to a new webpage, the Relay Ombuds serves students with "institutional and academic concerns, clarification of policies, and other challenges that impact academic progress." Notably, Relay does not identify the person serving as Ombuds on its website, which is unusual for an Organizational Ombuds program. (Relay Ombuds.)

Ombuds at University of Victoria Posts 2025 Annual Report

Angus Shaw, the Ombudsperson for UVic, has released his 2025 annual report, highlighting administrative fairness issues identified through the Office’s work with students. Shaw handled 449 cases in 2025, roughly the same as the 452 cases handled in 2024. Academic concessions were the most common type of case, accounting for 16.7% of the total, followed by academic integrity and faculty or staff behavior, each at 11.5%. The Office also reported approximately 6,700 unique visitors to its website, up from about 6,000 in 2024. 

Cal Caucus 2026 Has Not Yet Sold Out

For the first time in several years, the California Caucus of College and University Ombuds has not sold out in the first day. Organizers for the event at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, November 8-11, 2026, report that there are still a few spots available. (Cal Caucus Humanitix.)

Santa Fe College Names Next Ombuds

The community college in Gainesville, Florida, has named Karla Solis as its new Ombuds. Solis succeeds Bea Awoniyi, who retired after 13 years at the college. Solis began on June 16, 2026. Reporting to the Vice President for Student Affairs, Solis will also provide oversight of some student support programs, including the Disabilities Resource Center and Displaced Homemakers. 

Ombuds Sought for Interviews About Professional Association Needs

Julie Muroff is seeking Ombuds who have been members of IOA for at least one year to participate in confidential interviews about what Ombuds want and need from a professional association. The interviews will take 60 minutes or less and must be completed by August 14, 2026. 

Here is her full request: 

Peralta Community College District Names First Ombuds

The Peralta Community College District has established an Office of the Ombuds, with Kohya Lu serving as its first Organizational Ombuds. The full-time position serves approximately 850 employees, including classified professionals, faculty, and administrators, across the District's four colleges in Northern California's East Bay. Until very recently, Lu had served as the inaugural Ombudsperson at College of San Mateo since August 2023. (PCCD Ombuds.)