Palo Alto University Names First Ombuds

The San Francisco-Bay area school of psychology has appointed Rev. Byron Bland as its first University Chaplain and Ombuds. According to a university press release, "Drawing from his lifelong experiences as a minister and peace and conflict mediator, the Reverend will serve the University community’s religious, spiritual, moral and ethical needs." The university enrolls about 600 undergraduate and graduate students.

Previously, Bland was the associate director of the Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation. He is an ordained Presbyterian minister and has served as an Ombuds and conflict resolution consultant for various community and church groups. He has also served as a lecturer in the Stanford Law School, the School of Education, and the International Relations program. Bland gradauted from Georgia Tech, and earned masters degrees in social ethics and divinity from the San Francisco Theological Seminary. (San Jose Mercury News; Palo Alto University; Stanford CDDRL.)