Bernard Anderson, the University Ombuds at KSU, says that his office will be closed on September 30, 2014. Anderson has been the Ombuds for nearly nine years and was one of the first Ombuds to become certified in 2010. No details regarding the decision to shutter the 18 year old office have been made public.
However, Anderson explains that the decision was made by senior administrators without his input ostensibly for budgetary reasons related to KSU's impending merger with Southern Polytechnic University. Related posts: List of Certified Ombuds Expands to 45; Kennesaw State University Ombuds Announces Retirement; IOA Opens Registration and Posts Agenda for 2012 Conference.
However, Anderson explains that the decision was made by senior administrators without his input ostensibly for budgetary reasons related to KSU's impending merger with Southern Polytechnic University. Related posts: List of Certified Ombuds Expands to 45; Kennesaw State University Ombuds Announces Retirement; IOA Opens Registration and Posts Agenda for 2012 Conference.
Bernard can be reached at Bernard . Anderson81 @ gmail.com (without the spaces).
ReplyDeleteThe Ethics Resource Center has established that during mergers, acquisitions and transitions unethical behavior actually increases. We all know that the stress on employees generally also increases. Seems the most inopportune time to close the ombuds office, especially without input/consultation from the ombuds.
DeleteBest of luck to Keenesaw and to all the more to you Bernard.
John W. Zinsser
Co-founder and Principal, Pacifica Human Communication, LLC.
Lecturer, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Columbia University
This message seeks to correct inaccurate information that is being
ReplyDeletecirculated about the changes that are taking place in the Ombuds Office
at Kennesaw State University. The Ombuds function is not being ended,
and it is not going away. Rather, it is being reorganized, and will remain
a vital part of KSU.
Although the details of the reorganization are still being worked out,
based on an analysis of the past workload and future needs of KSU, the
aim of the reorganization is to have a more effective Ombuds function
that can serve a university that, after it consolidates with Southern
Polytechnic State University, will have two campuses with over 31,000
students.
Again, to correct the inaccurate information that is being disseminated,
there will be an Ombuds function at KSU, and it will be a fully
operational unit. It will, however, be organized differently than it
has been in the past because of the changes that are taking place at KSU.