The Ombuds Blog: Nova Scotia College of Art and Design Debuts Ombuds Program

December 13, 2023

Nova Scotia College of Art and Design Debuts Ombuds Program

In August, Jude Gerrard was introduced as the first Ombudsperson for the public art university in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Gerrard reports to the University President and provides services to all members of the NSCAD community, a total population of over 1,000. According to a press release, "He will also play a leadership role in advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) at NSCAD."

Gerrard comes to the position from Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency, where he served as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. His professional career includes stints at Nova Scotia Community College, the Government of Nova Scotia, Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education, and Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education. He is a member of the Millbrook First Nation and is an active artist. He earned his Bachelor's and Masters at Acadia University. (NSCAD News; LinkedIn.)

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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Austria -- Ombudsstelle

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany -- Ombudspersonen

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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