Georgetown Plans to Expand Ombuds Service to All Students

The Georgetown University Provost has announced that the campus Ombuds program will soon serve the entire student body. Previously, the Georgetown Ombuds have been a resource only for faculty and some graduate students. (Separately, Georgetown School of Medicine has an Ombuds for its students.) The new Ombuds will be a permanent staff in the Provost's office, reporting to the Vice Provost for Education and practicing to IOA standards. It does not appear that there is any plan for the Ombuds to serve staff. 

The Provost, Robert Groves, explained that the move will follow the lead of other organizations and respond to internal recommendations.

For several years, Georgetown has enjoyed the services of an ombuds for faculty, more recently for graduate students. The School Deans, with the assistance of the Provost Office, have authorized the expansion of ombuds’ services to undergraduates as well as graduate students. The original idea for such a role arose from the Provost Student Advisory Committee and the Provost Diversity Committee. The undergraduate students described various reports of unpleasant interactions with faculty, staff, and/or other students.

Details about the selection of the Georgetown Ombuds are pending. (Georgetown Provost's Blog.)

Related post: Georgetown Medical School Ombuds Practices Mind-Body Medicine; Georgetown University Appoints Two Ombuds.