Wichita State University Seeks Internal Ombuds, Begins Work on Charter

Wichita State created a Faculty Senate Ombudsperson program in 2018 to serve about 520 academic staff at the public university in Kansas. Four faculty serve four-year, staggered terms. The current Ombuds are Carolyn Shaw (Professor of Political Science), Mehmet Barut (Professor of Finance, Real Estate and Decision Sciences), and Bayram Yildirim (Professor of Industrial, Systems and Manufacturing Engineering). Shaw, who also coordinates the Ombuds program has proposed a Charter, that would codify the program and ensure compliance with IOA standards. The university is also seeking applications for one of the vacant Ombuds positions. (WSU Ombuds; WSU Faculty Senate Minutes; WSU News.)