Catholic University of America Announces Inaugural Ombuds

The private Catholic research university in Washington, D.C., has appointed Maureen Condic as its first Faculty Ombudsman and Mediator. According to an announcement from Catholic University, Condic "will be charged with providing faculty guidance on policies, rules, and laws pertaining to their positions as well as advising the University's administration on faculty trends. She will also handle, when necessary, mediations with faculty members, students and the University’s administration." 

Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution Names First Ombuds

Francisco ("Paco") Zapater has been appointed the first Ombudsperson for IPHES (Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social), the transdisciplinary research institution in Catalonia, Spain. In this new role, he will serve as a resource for IPHES staff, including affiliated employees of the Research Centers of Catalonia (CERCA, Centres de Recerca de Catalunya). Regulations adopted in 2022 state that the Ombuds "will act with complete discretion and be guided by the principles of neutrality, independence, and confidentiality, with more auctoritas than power, more justice than right, and more humanism than bureaucracy." 

Central New Mexico Community College Unveils Ombuds Program

The public community college in Albuquerque, formerly known as Technical Vocational Institute (TVI), has created a Student Ombudsman office for its 22,000 students. The scope of services is generally consistent with other Ombuds programs in higher education, except that the website invites students to "report any concerns you may have." (Ombuds who practice to IOA standards do not act as an agent for notice and do not receive complaints for their organization.) The new Ombuds is located within the Dean of Students Office. The Ombuds is not identified nor did they respond to an email request for more information. (CNM Ombuds.)

Job Posting: Inter-American Development Bank

The Latin American development bank is hiring its next Head of Ombuds & Mediation Services. The search will fill a position that has been held by Ellen Connors since early 2023. The position is based at IDB's headquarters in Washington, DC, are reports directly to the President for a five-year term.

Podcast: Virginia Tech Ombuds on Academic Bullying

Bryan Hanson, the Graduate School Ombudsperson for Virginia Tech, was a recent guest on "Peoples & Things," a podcast hosted by Lee Vinsel, a VT professor. Hanson talks about "Disrupting Academic Bullying" and a program with the same name that he developed for his campus.

Here's the full description:

Podcast: Harris Health Interviews its Ombuds

In May, Harris Health System interviewed its inaugural Ombuds, Jai McBride-Calloway, for its podcast "Heartbeat." The regular podcast has been featuring the Harris Health's leadership. McBride has brought significant Ombuds experience as she develops a program for the public health system in Texas.

Here's the summary of her show:

Job Posting: Toronto Metropolitan University

The public university formerly known as Ryerson University, is seeking its next Ombudsperson. The position will lead an office currently comprising the Acting Ombudsperson, Gemma Kerr, and Assistant Ombudsperson & Outreach Officer, Edmun Natkunarajah. (Maureen Helt is currently on leave from her position as University Ombuds.) TMU's Office of the Ombudsperson serves 48,000 enrolled students, plus applicants and former students, and follows ACCUO and FCO standards of practice. This is a hybrid job.

University of Beira Interior Hosts Iberian and Latin American Ombuds

On June 18 and 19, 2024, Universidade da Beira Interior and its Student Ombudsman, Afonso Mousaco Gomes, will host the first "Seminar of Good Practices" for University Ombuds from Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Honduras. The conference hopes to support and encourage Ombuds offices by sharing best practices from Ombuds and other higher education experts.

University of Tennessee Chattanooga Announces Ombuds

Next week, Anovia Slaughter will become the first full-time University Ombuds for all UTC faculty and staff. Slaughter will report to the University Chancellor through the Chief of Staff and will practice to IOA standards. She takes over from UT Chattanooga's Campus Ombudsperson, Lisa Yamagata-Lynch, and Associate Ombudsperson, Brooke Wichmann, who have served as Interim Ombuds since last September.

Job Posting: Carnegie Mellon University

The private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will hire its first Student and Faculty Ombudsperson. The posting seems to imply that the new position will work closely with the inaugural Staff Ombudsperson, Jennifer Pablonis, who was hired in 2001. The full-time Student and Staff Ombuds will report to the Provost.

Job Re-Posting: Coastal Carolina University

The public university near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has reopened its search for a Faculty and Staff Ombuds (An earlier posting sought in have someone in place by November 2023, but there are no public details about the outcome of that search.) The part-time position (about 30% FTE) position reports to the President and practices to IOA standards.

UC Irvine Selects Associate Ombuds

Sequoia Hill has joined the Office of the Ombuds at the University of California Irvine. She joins Campus Ombuds Jennifer Moumneh and Senior Associate Ombuds Shawn Hutchens, and will assist in providing services to all campus stakeholders including members of the UCI medical center in Orange.

NACUA Hosts Ombuds Session at 2024 Conference

Shannon Burton will speak at the 2024 conference of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, the influential professional association of attorneys working in higher education. This is just the third time that NACUA has heard from a University Ombuds and the first conference session. (In May 2023, Jessica Kuchta-Miller, Ellen Miller, and Steve Prevaux gave a webinar, and in June 2023, Sarah Klaper and Chinyere Ukabiala represented IOA at NACUA's annual meeting.) Burton, the University Ombudsperson at Michigan State University, will speak at the conference in Columbus, Ohio later this month.

Ramapo College Ombuds Named to World Bank Arbitration Panel

Earlier this week, President Biden appointed Ramapo College of New Jersey's Ombuds, John Woods, Jr., to the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes Panel of Arbitrators and Conciliators. Woods will serve a six-year term through 2030 on the panel, which arbitrates disputes between investors and countries. Woods has been the Ombuds at Ramapo, a public liberal arts college in Mawhaw, since establishing the program in 2008. (ROI-NJ.) 

Job Posting: Indiana University Bloomington

Indiana's flagship public university has opened a search for its first Graduate Ombudsperson (Student Support Specialist). The full-time position will establish an Ombuds office to serve about 11,000 graduate students on the Bloomington campus and also work closely with regional graduate programs. According to the position, the Ombuds will be part of the University Graduate School.

Job Posting: Austin Independent School District

Austin ISD, the public school district for the capital of Texas, is seeking an Associate Ombudsperson for Special Education. The position will report to the District's newly-appointed Ombudsperson, Dawn Spinozza, and will serve as a confidential, informal, impartial, and independent resource to support families with students who have or may have a disability. Local travel will be required.

Thomas Jefferson University Names Ombuds

The private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has appointed Stephen Weinstein as its next Faculty Ombudsperson. He follows Michael Vergare and will assist about 3,200 full and part-time faculty with workplace concerns. Weinstein is an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry. He joined the faculty in 1977 and his research had focused on addiction treatment. In addition, he served in several administrative positions, including division director. Weinstein graduated from Brooklyn College and he earned his PhD at Temple University. (TJU Ombuds.)

ENOHE Webinar to Explore AI and Ombuds Work

The European Network of Ombuds in Higher Education In its series of online events for members and non-members and as part of its annual working program, ENOHE is offering a special interactive webinar on AI and ChatGPT and ombuds offices. The two-hour online program, "Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT and Ombuds Offices: Overhyped or Overlooked?," is set for June 21, 2024 at 1400-1600pm CEST.

Job Posting: U.S. Department of Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs is hiring an Associate Ombudsperson. According to a recent presentation the OWCP Ombuds serves "as an independent, impartial and confidential resource that receives and helps to resolve inquiries and concerns from OWCP claimants and other external interested parties." The full-time position reports to OWCP Ombudsperson Shalonda Cawthon and will be based in a DOL office (Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Lakewood, Long Beach, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.). 

MWI Roundtable will Highlight Ombuds

MWI, a global provider of outsourced Ombuds and other ADR services, hosts regular virtual events for its mediators and guests. On August 28, 2024, the topic will be "The Organizational Ombuds; What a Mediator or Other Dispute Resolution Professionals Might Want to Know About This Unique Role." This presentation explores the role of an Organizational Ombuds and the various benefits they can bring to the organizations they partner with. Dana Hinojosa and Elise Ramos will be the speakers. (MWI Mediator Roundtables.)

Ombuds Blog: New Policy on Comments

To date, I have approved about 3,700 comments on the Ombuds Blog. For the first several years, no one really commented. But that eventually changed and now comments are frequent and there is even some dialog. I find it deeply rewarding to provide a forum for our profession. 

Managing the comments takes some time as I personally approve each and every comment. This is primarily to weed out spambots, which post multiple times the number of legitimate comments. But I often have to evaluate authentic comments. Sometimes, I face a difficult choice when deciding how to handle an anonymous comment. A legitimate point can be embedded in a longer, inappropriate comment. Without knowing the author, I am unable to engage in a dialog and I have been uncomfortable editing someone else's viewpoint. So, I have had to chose between approving or rejecting the entire comment. 

Some have urged me to reject all anonymous comments, especially those critical of IOA. The reasoning is that people should feel comfortable raising issues directly with IOA leadership or going to the IOA Ombuds if they are concerned about retaliation. But I feel it is important to provide an independent public space for dissent. Moreover, anonymous comments can promote free speech by separating the content of the comment from the identity and status of the commenter.

With all of these thoughts in mind, I have decided on the following guidelines for comments on the Ombuds Blog. My hope is that these will make my work more transparent and promote healthy commentary.

Czech and Polish University Ombuds Gather for First Meeting

On March 8-9, 2024, the national Czech and Polish University Ombuds networks held their first joint meeting. Members of the two associations executive committees met symbolically on both sides of the Olše River: the Polish Academic Network for Safety and Equality (Akademicka Sieć Bezpieczeństwa i Równości) and the Czech School Ombuds Platform (ŠOP). The meeting was hosted on the campus of the Silesian University in Katowice first ever meeting took place in Szczecin, Poland,

Job Posting: Duke University

The private university in Durham, North Carolina is hiring an Associate Ombuds. The position will report to the University Ombuds, Jessica Kuchta-Miller, CO-OP, and serve all faculty, staff, and students (with the exception of unionized employees and employees of Duke Health System). The Duke Ombuds Office practices to IOA standards.

Call for Papers: JIOA Special Issue on Power, Politics & Polarization

The Journal of the International Ombuds Association has issued a call for submissions for a special issue on: "Power, Politics, and Polarization." Papers should be submitted by May 1, 2025. 

Here are more details from the Journal: