Scott Paynton, Ombuds at Humboldt State University in California, is urging students to become active participants in changing their school’s funding. Paynton, who is also a professor of Communication, has two specific goals: to get students to turn off their cell phones and to write their state representatives about restoring funding to the CSU. (The Lumberjack.)
Related post: New Humboldt State Ombuds Debut Website.
So, does Paynton's action pose a conflict of interest? Certainly not if he is acting solely as a professor. As the Ombuds: maybe. It's hard to predict how political viewpoints may impact an Ombuds perceived neutrality. That's why most Ombuds are very discrete about their personal politics.
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