The private college in Western Massachusetts is hiring its first Ombudsperson. The part-time position will serve all faculty, staff, and students—a total population of nearly 7,000. The new Ombuds will report to the Director of Human Resources with oversight by the Audit and Compliance Committee of the Board of Trustees. The position is expected to practice to IOA standards.
Applicants must have a relevant Master's degree (e.g. organizational psychology, higher education, mediation, dispute resolution, or counseling) and one to three years of directly related experience. Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioner (CO-OP) status is preferred. No salary indicated (although Indeed estimates a range of $50,700-$64,000). No application deadline indicated. (Springfield posting, via Indeed.)
If Springfield College wants this new program to succeed the new Ombuds must not report to the Director of Human Resources. Right off the bat there's a perception the Ombuds is in the pocket of HR.
The perception that the ombuds is in the pocket of HR will be accurate for an ombuds reporting to anyone in HR. IOA needs to accredit programs and sanction organizations that do this sort of thing. Either the ombuds profession pushes back on this nonsense or we are all eventually doomed.
I hear that Cal State Monterey Bay also plans to have the ombuds report to their Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. This is a very bad trend that IOA needs to stand up against.
If Springfield College wants this new program to succeed the new Ombuds must not report to the Director of Human Resources. Right off the bat there's a perception the Ombuds is in the pocket of HR.
ReplyDeleteThe perception that the ombuds is in the pocket of HR will be accurate for an ombuds reporting to anyone in HR. IOA needs to accredit programs and sanction organizations that do this sort of thing. Either the ombuds profession pushes back on this nonsense or we are all eventually doomed.
ReplyDeleteI hear that Cal State Monterey Bay also plans to have the ombuds report to their Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. This is a very bad trend that IOA needs to stand up against.
ReplyDelete