The independent public medical school in Norfolk is hiring an "Assistant Director, Training and Ombudsperson." This will be the first Ombuds for the school. In addition to providing diversity-related training for about 2,300 students, staff, and faculty, the position is also expected to provide Ombuds services 25% of the time.
The community college in Greater Victoria, British Columbia is hiring its next Student Ombudsperson. The search will fill a position held since 2008 by Carter McDonald, who is retiring. The full-time position single-handedly provides services to a student body of about 20,000 and reports to the VP of Student Experience.
VU Medisch Centrum, the university hospital affiliated with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is hiring an Ombudsman. The position works to improve social safety, integrity, culture, and procedures/procedures for VUmc stakeholders through independent and confidential consultations, investigations, and upward feedback to the executive board. The position also manage an office comprised of one full-time (Martin Kersloot) and two part-time advisors (Käthy Blom and Sonja Snel).
Julie I. Fershtman and Edward H. Pappas have been named the next Ombudspersons for the Oakland County Circuit Court. They follow Joel Serlin, who is retiring from the role he established in 2011. The Oakland County Circuit Court provides confidential, independent, neutral, and informal dispute resolution services for attorneys with concerns about the court, which is comprised of 19 elected judges and administrative staff in three divisions (civil/criminal, family, and business).
In late 2018, Sophia Rucker-Taylor was appointed the Student Ombudsperson for the public, historically black university in Frankfort. Last week, she was profiled for the campus newsletter. Rucker-Taylor is an alumnus of KSU and returned to work there in 2001 after nearly two decades at Texas Instruments. She is a first-generation college graduate and is especially gratified to help students complete their degrees.
In August, Norway's legislature passed a law requiring Student Ombuds (Studentombudet) for all colleges an universities. Most large schools already have Ombuds in place, but the new law has presented a challenge to smaller schools. One solution emerged earlier this month. On November 18, the University of Oslo entered into a collaboration with six smaller colleges in Oslo for Ombuds services:
It's a video hat trick for Sabrina Nail, who opened the FCPS Ombuds Office in April. In her latest YouTube posting, Nail starts out by confronting employees with the question: "Do you know what an Ombuds is?" (following the humorous strategy of Jerry Nuesell at Wake Tech and Jen Schneider at USF). The second half of the video provides an overview of the Ombuds role. (FCPS YouTube.)
In an annual report that marked a decade of service to the large public university in Vancouver, UBC's Ombudsperson for Students, Shirley Nakata said that her office 546 cases in 2018. The caseload increased 21% from the prior year. Since Nakata was appointed and opened the office, cases have increased nine of ten years.
T. Brian Green has been named the first Associate Ombudsperson for private research university in Atlanta. In this full-time position, he will report to Lynell Cadray who was appointed the inaugural Emory University Ombudsperson last month. Based on the job description, it is expected that Green will be working with students and managing many of the administrative and strategic initiatives of the new office.
John Howard has been named the University Ombuds for ECU— a half-time position that provides services to faculty, staff, and administrators and report administratively to the Chancellor's chief of staff. Howard will be the first permanent University Ombuds; Mickey A. Herrin Sr., has served in an interim capacity since April 2019.
The UC campus in Northern California is hiring an Assistant Ombudsperson. The position reports to Campus Ombuds Callale Concon and provides services to students, staff, and faculty at the fast-growing campus. The search will fill a position held by Valara Villanueva since January 2018.
Janet Vantriet has joined Chevron’s Global Office of Ombuds as an Ombuds Manager—the multinational company’s first Ombuds role outside the U.S. Vantriet is based in Perth and will report to the Global Principal Ombuds Manager, Sana Manjeshwar.
The International Ombudsman Association is offering two scholarship programs for its 15th Annual Conference set for March 30 to April 1, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. The International Scholarship, which has been offered since 2014, will offer financial support for an Ombuds working in a country where the profession is not well developed. A new scholarship will support conference attendance for four people new to the Ombuds field or seeking to enter it, yet do not have organizational or institutional support to attend.;
The non-profit research and educational institution in Laurel Hollow, New York has opened a search for its first Ombudsman. The part-time, unbenefitted position will provide independent, confidential, neutral, & informal services to 1,200 staff members. The position has been created in part as a response to an endorsement by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for Ombuds to serve as a resource to address sexual harassment and discrimination.
Donald Proby has been selected as the Director of BWH's new Office of Mediation, Coaching and Ombuds Services. Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital is a teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School and part of the integrated health care system Partners HealthCare, the largest private employer in Massachusetts. Proby will head an office that will (according to the job posting earlier this year) "provide employee support, facilitate workable solutions solutions to conflict and to support individuals building skills to address and transform conflict." He was appointed in July.
The young non-profit university in Istanbul, Turkey (Altınbaş Üniversitesi, formerly known as Istanbul Kemerburgaz University), has appointed Gizem Güray as its first Student Ombudsman. Guray serves a student population of about 8,000 following standards that are similar to IOA best practices.
The public university in New South Wales is hiring its first Student Ombudsman. "Reporting to the Director Assurance Services, this newly created critical role requires comprehensive knowledge and understanding of relevant legislative educational frameworks and environments [and] expertise in supporting and working with students regarding their academic progression and assisting them dealing with their academic concerns." The University of Newcastle enrolls about 37,000 students across six campuses.
On November 20, Higher Ed Live, a media platform for professionals in higher education, will host a webcast focusing on the work of University Ombuds. Host Heather Shea discusses the important partnerships between Ombuds Offices and Student Affairs with three panelists: Shannon Burton at Michigan State; D. A. Graham at the University of Kansas; and Jennifer Schneider at the University of South Florida.
The Indian reservation on the south side of Phoenix, Arizona is hiring a its first Ombudsman. The position will "provide services which include being a liaison between Community Members and the Tribal Government, listening to citizens’ complaints when they think the Gila River Indian Community has treated them unfairly, and coaching, assisting, and investigating the complaints received from Community Members."
The Journal of the International Ombudsman Association is pleased to announce a call for papers for a Special Issue on Responses of the Organizational Ombuds to Sexual Harassment. How do ombuds respond to sexual harassment within their organizations? What methods and strategies do they use, why do they use them, and with what outcomes? The JIOA invites papers that will focus on organizational ombuds’ most significant and challenging experiences in responding to and assisting with sexual harassment concerns.
After years of pushing back against university administrators, NIU’s University Ombudsperson Sarah Klaper said that she has been designated as a Clery Reporter. In remarks for the university's Operating Staff Council, Klaper said she is concerned the change will compromise her office’s confidentiality. NIU made the change despite Klaper's explanation that Ombuds does not fit the statutory designation.
The public university in Birmingham is hiring its first University Ombudsperson. The full-time position will serve neutral and impartial dispute resolution practitioner at UAB for faculty and staff, mentored graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. Currently, the university has only a part-time Faculty Ombuds—a position established by Michelle Fanucchi in 2016 and held on an interim basis by J. Michael Wyss since last year.
The Ombudsman for Public Education in Washington, DC—a neutral and independent office that provides conflict resolution services related to public education—is hiring an Assistant Ombudsman. The position responds to complaints and concerns and assists with facilitating or mediating conflicts.
Dolores Gómez-Morán, CO-OP, has been appointed the Ombudsman for the WHO Regional Office in Southeast Asian (WHO SEAR), effective September 2, 2019. This is a new position in the WHO SEAR Region and is based in New Delhi, India. Gómez-Morán practices to IOA standards.
The governing board of the U.S. central bank is hiring an Assistant Ombudsman. The Executive Ombuds position 1) acts as facilitator for the fair and timely resolution of complaints related to the System’s regulatory activities; 2) receives, reviews, and decides claims of retaliatory conduct by System staff; and 3) reports to Board members and senior Board staff on issues that may have a significant impact on the System’s mission, activities, or reputation, including patterns of issues that occur in multiple complaints. In addition, there are collateral administrative duties.
The TSA's Ombudsman Division (part of the Civil Liberties, Ombudsman and Traveler Engagement Office) is hiring an Ombudsman Specialist based in Arlington, VA. The position serves internal and external stakeholders and about 25% travel is required.
The Office of the University Ombudsman at Cornell University is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. The program was established in response to the Willard Straight Hall takeover by students in 1969 as a neutral outlet for Cornellians to express their concerns. It is one of the oldest university Ombuds offices.
The public doctoral-granting university in Carrollton, GA is hiring a Director of Ombuds Services. Reporting directly to the University President, the position will lead UWG’s Ombuds Office, practicing to IOA standards. Until earlier this year, Tahirih Varner, CO-OP, had served in the role. Currently, Julia Farmer is the only person in the office and is serving as the Interim Faculty Ombuds.
A new report (The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM) from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine says that U.S. colleges and universities should take a more intentional, inclusive, and evidence-based approach to mentoring students – a shift that could engage and help retain a broader group of students. The report identifies Ombuds as a resource to address negative mentoring experiences.
The United Nations agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger, is hiring an Ombudsman. The five-year position provides confidential, impartial and independent advice on conflicts and problems to FAO staff from the Rome Headquarters and in decentralized offices. In addition, the Ombuds will coordinate and manage FAO’s mediation program.
In May 2019, Karine Gauvreau was named the first Ombudsman for the NRC (Conseil national de recherches Canada), the Government of Canada's largest research and technology organization. In this role, she will provide nearly 5,000 employees with a safe space to discuss concerns about the agency and scientific integrity, research ethics, and harassment.
The private liberal arts college in New London is hiring its first Staff Ombudsperson. The part-time (10 hrs/wk) position reports to the president and will supplement the work of the existing Faculty Ombudsperson Julia Kushigian (Professor of Hispanic Studies and Social Justice Coordinator). The college's current equity and inclusion plan calls for both Ombuds positions to be strengthened.
The Office of the Ombudsman for five UN Funds and Programmes (including UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS, and UN Women) is hiring a Senior Mediation Specialist. Based at the UN Headquarters in New York City, the position is a mediation and workplace conflict resolution expert that will oversee mediation services by a network of mediators and ensure quality standards, and conduct mediations as needed. It reports to the Ombudsman for UN Funds and Programmes, Giuseppe De Palo.
ISU is seeking nominations for staff to join its group of part-time Ombuds. About seven faculty and staff make up the ISU Ombuds Program, which provides services only to university faculty and staff. The program has had a number of incarnations; In 2011, the Faculty Ombudsperson coordinated a faculty no confidence vote in the president and his office was subsequently shuttered for a short time. The current panel configuration has been in place for four years and practices to IOA standards.
Lacy Ward Jr. has been hired as the first Marshall University Ombudsman. In the new full-time position, Ward will also serve as the Civic Engagement Coordinator. Ward will assist only university employees with questions or concerns with the university’s policies and procedures. The joint appointments will run for an initial one-year period.
Tatia Granger has returned to her former post as the Interim Ombuds for the public university in Williamsburg, VA. Granger, a Clinical Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at W&M, had been the Ombuds from 2008 to 2018. Mark Patterson then served in the role for about a year and half and before moving across the country to establish a office at to moving to Cal State University Channel Islands. William & Mary is currently searching for its next permanent Ombuds. (W&M Compliance and Equity.)
