University of California Ombuds Update Statement of Best Practices

More than 10 years, the Ombuds at each University of California campus collaborated on a Declaration of Best Practices that reflected their commitment to IOA standards and practices.  Earlier this year, the group revised and updated the statement. Revised and endorsed in April 2017, this Declaration is the result of collaboration and input from representatives from UC Berkeley; UC Davis; UC Irvine; UC Los Angeles; UC Merced; UC Riverside; UC San Diego; UC San Francisco; and UC Santa Barbara. 

The UC Declaration of Best Practices: (1) articulates the common set of professional practices, principles and standards shared by all the UC Ombuds; (2) educates the University community about the role of the Ombuds Office; (3) encourages all Ombuds Offices to operate in a manner consistent with professional standards, codes of ethics, and best practices; and (4) encourages the campus community to use the term “Ombuds” to refer only to those offices within the UC System which subscribe to the longstanding professional tenets.

Since the original version of the document was approved in November 2006, two new Ombuds offices have opened, including UC San Francisco in 2011 and UC Merced in 2012. UC Santa Cruz closed its office in 2012. In addition, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are no longer managed under the UC system. (UC Berkeley Staff Ombuds News.)

Related posts: University of California Report on Protest Policies Reaffirms Role of Ombuds; University of California President Endorses Ombuds Offices; University of California Protects All its Ombuds Under Updated Sexual Misconduct Policy.