Cal Poly Pomona Faculty Urge Restoration of Ombuds Office
Despite persistent efforts by the Academic Senate at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, the university has refused to hire a replacement for Lavada Austin, who retired as Ombuds in 2020. A spokesperson for Cal Poly's President said, “The university is taking the time to re-envision the best way to offer a broader range of assistance. A lot of resources are being put into Student Affairs. They are creating a one-stop care center that would include some of the ombuds functions.” Currently about half of the Cal State University campuses have an Ombuds program. (Poly Post.)
The mere fact that the Academy Senate is urging that the Ombuds position be filled is a testament unto itself that the other resources available on campus may not be fully meeting the needs of faculty (and just as likely, the needs of staff and students are not being fully met by other resources). It is wonderful here that the University President believes there are other resources found in other offices and divisions but the reality is that the services an Ombuds provides are unique because Ombuds provide a safe place to have conversations that quite frankly individuals don’t feel comfortable having someplace else. In part, this is because a higher level of confidentiality is provided to people that sometimes just need a place to think things through before they decide to take action.
ReplyDeleteAs an Ombuds with over 20 years of experience I have seen organizations where leaders don’t fully understand the value of an Ombuds Office and so they make the mistake of eliminating the Ombuds office or not filling a vacancy thinking other resources such as HR already, or can do, what Ombuds do. But, unless other resource at the institution can unequivocally provide all the principles Ombuds adhere to: confidentiality, informality, impartiality and independence; the reality is then that those other resources fail to meet the needs of some in that community. Just as I’ve also seen organization misstep and think they could do without an Ombuds office after offering the service I’ve also seen organizations correct their mistake and listen to what their stakeholders want: A place they can trust and be listened to unlike any other office.
-Reese Ramos, Ombuds
*As always, comments are my own and not reflective of any entity I may associated, connected with, employed by, etc.