Ombuds at Concordia University Posts 2017 Report

Amy Fish, Concordia's Ombudsperson, recently reported annual data on the academic issues brought to her office in the past academic year.  Fish said cases decreased about 8.6% to 470 in 2016-17, not far off from the 500 cases annually that have been typical over the past five years. Fish said also that the volume was in line for a university of Concordia’s size: about one percent of the student population. 

The majority of concerns were brought forward by students (78%), followed by faculty members or staff (11%) and from other people, including alumni, parents, and citizens (11%). Similar to last year, grades and other course management issues represented the largest percentage of student academic concerns. This included any dispute regarding course requirements, unfair grading practices, applications for re-evaluation and/or grading policies in the classroom.

Fish became Concordia's Ombuds in March 2016, following Kristen Robillard's retirement in 2015 and Julie Boncompain's interim service. Fish is the author of the nonfiction book, The Art of Complaining Effectively and she writes a very entertaining blog. (Concordia News; AmyFishWrites.com.)

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