The Ombuds Blog: Meet the Inaugural Student Ombuds at Southern Oregon University

September 16, 2024

Meet the Inaugural Student Ombuds at Southern Oregon University

In January 2023, SOU unveiled an Ombuds program for its 6,200 students public, liberal arts university in Ashland. Erica Knotts and Rebecca Williams provide services jointly. Located within the Office of Student Life, they practice to IOA standards. Meanwhile, Rachel Jochem and Cody Christopherson, separately serve as the Faculty Ombuds.

Knotts is a Lecturer in the Department of Communication. She earned a Bachelor's and Masters from Southern Oregon University and a MA and MLIS from Emporia State University. Williams is an instructor in the MBA program and also is the Coordinator for the Certificate in Human Resources Management. She graduated from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and earned an MPP, MDR, and EdD from Pepperdine University. (SOU Student Ombuds.)

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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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