University of Massachusetts Amherst Hires MWI to Bridge Ombuds Office
Following the departure of Interim University Ombuds, Lea Occhialini, at the end of 2023, UMass Amherst asked MWI to provide Ombuds services to over 38,000 students, faculty, and staff across 12 schools and colleges. The initial six-month contract was renewed July 1, 2024 for an additional six months. The UMass Amherst Ombuds Team of Derrick Johnson, Birthe Reimers, and Larry Hunt work with the existing Ombuds office manager, Kristen Farrell, and reports to the Chancellor.
As with all of their clients, MWI's Ombuds Team practices to IOA Standards as specified in a written agreement.
Johnson has been the Ombuds at Florida State College at Jacksonville since 2018 and brings decades of experience in student services services and counseling in substance abuse, juvenile justice, and vocational rehabilitation. Reimers is an Ombuds, mediator, coach, and published conflict scholar-practitioner with 16 years of experience in the field. Since January 2018, she has been the Director of the Office of the Ombudsperson at Georgia State University. Hunt has been the Ombuds for Amherst College since 2019. (UMass Amherst Ombuds; MWI UMA Ombuds.)
Bridging to what? Another MWI contract? Bridging implies a transitionary period from one long term stable period to another. I think a more appropriate title would be "UMass Amherst Extends MWI contract for additional six months." I know you strive for impartiality as a reporter, Tom, but I think you missed the mark on this one. This item reads like MWI promotional material, which is disappointing since there is a legitimate controversy among organizational ombuds about whether ombuds can or should be outsourced.
ReplyDeleteFair point. But "bridge" makes a shorter headline than "extends contract for another six months." And, to be honest, many of my posts sound promotional.
DeleteOmbuds should support other Ombuds. This harsh criticism towards our peers is not helpful. It’s not their fault that organizations choose a particular method for filling a role. If anything, we should be celebrating the fact that they’re investing in the role and find it valuable. There are pros and cons, benefits and vulnerabilities with both models. There is no upside to creating rifts when we should be supporting our community of professionals and respecting organizations who choose IOA-compliant Ombuds.
DeleteUMass Amherst asked MWI to submit a proposal to provide organizational ombuds services to their campus. Our proposal was accepted and the ombuds team has done an amazing job providing IOA-compliant services to visitors. The contract was renewed. There is no controversy as to whether this can be done. Our goal is to provide organizations with high-quality ombuds services as I assume you strive to do as well.
DeleteI look forward to engaging in legitimate and meaningful conversations about how ombuds can best serve their organizations, vs responding to unfounded claims of whether ombuds, who are independent of the organizations they serve, can or should work with visitors.
I hope you will consider shifting this conversation from "should" to "how." and contribute to supporting each other as we each provide the best possible ombuds services to the organizations we serve.