Utah Valley University Selects Three Ombuds Fellows

Emily M. Taylor, UVU's Assistant Director of Conflict Resolution and University Ombudsman, has appointed three undergraduate fellows. The new positions will "gain hands-on experience in conflict resolution, mediation, and program management [and] collaborate with the Ombuds team to support daily office operations and expand conflict resolution activities on campus." These appear to be the first-ever Ombuds fellowships.

IOA Publishes Summary of 2024 Practice Survey

The International Ombuds Association has completed its biennial survey of Organizational Ombuds about the qualitative aspects of their work. Respondents around the world provided data for the 2023 calendar year. The research team of Jennifer Schneider, Timothy Hedeen, Mary Rowe, and Hector Escalante Meza compiled a top ten list of interesting findings from the study:

New Video from Justice Canada Promotes Ombuds

A new video from Canada's Department of Justice presents "The Organizational Ombuds." Coproduced by the Ombuds and Informal Resolution Services Office and the Department's Communication's Branch, the video aims to showcase the profession in a fresh and engaging way. This video is publicly available and is intended for all Canadian Organizational Ombuds. In many respects it is similar and complimentary to the promotional video produced by IOA in 2019. 

University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School Names First Ombuds

Pitt's liberal arts college, The Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, has created an Ombuds program for faculty, staff, and students. Lisa Lang is the inaugural Ombudsperson and Director of the Office of the Ombuds. She manages a team that currently includes four part-time, collateral duty Ombuds: Philippa Carter, Graduate Ombudsperson; Deb Artim, Faculty Ombuds; Amy Flick, Faculty Ombuds; and Brent Malin, Faculty Ombuds. (Pitt AS Ombuds.)

Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Reappoints Inaugural Ombuds

Elizabeth (Betsy) Shoenfelt and Margaret (Peggy) Stockdale have been reappointed as the Ombudspersons for the professional association also known as Division 14 of the American Psychological Association. Originally, Shoenfelt was set to serve through 2025, and Stockdale until the end of 2024. Stockdale, however, recently accepted a second term and will now serve through 2027. The pair are volunteers who have been trained to provide services to SIOP members and conference attendees. (SIOP Items of Interest.)

U.S. Department of State Adds Three Ombuds to Growing Office

The Office of the Ombudsman at the State Department has hired three new Associate Ombuds: Johnny Armijo; Eric Kasik; and Elizabeth Stone, CO-OP. In these new, full-time roles, they will report to the State Department Ombuds, Jeanne Juliao, in Washington, DC, and provide services to State Department employees with workplace conflicts. Two of the new Ombuds bring recent professional experience.

Gallaudet University Appoints Interim Ombuds Team

Gallaudet University has named a team of interim Ombuds to maintain services following the departure of Liz Stone, CO-OP, who served in as Ombudsperson since 2015. The team of SooHyun Tak, Ashley Meyer, Malibu Barron, and Jennifer Schneider, CO-OP, will serve as part-time Ombuds during a transitional period through January 31, 2025. Three have prior Ombuds experience. (Gallaudet Ombuds.)

First Audit of Justice Canada's Ombuds is Favorable

In June, the Canadian Department of Justice completed its first formal review of its Ombuds office. The Ombuds and Informal Resolution Services Office (OIRSO) was established in 2021 and is headed by Sonya-Kim St-Julien. The audit report covered fiscal years 2020-21 through 2022-23, and examines issues related to relevance, design and delivery, effectiveness and efficiency.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte Adds an Associate Ombuds

Jen Amano has been hired as the Associate Ombuds for UNCC, the large public university in southwestern North Carolina. Reporting to Scott Deyo, CO-OP, she will expand the office and provide services primarily to undergraduate students.

Providence College Ratifies Ombuds Charter

The President and Faculty Senate of the private Catholic university in Rhode Island has endorsed and published a Charter for its new Faculty Ombuds office. The document defines and protects the Ombuds program established by Marguerite M. Dorn in June 2024 and adopts IOA standards or practice without exceptions. (Providence Ombuds Charter.)

Grinnell College Selects Next Ombuds

Deborah Dodge, CO-OP, has been appointed the Ombudsperson for the small, private liberal arts college in Iowa. She follows Grinnell's inaugural Ombuds, Chinyere Ukabiala, who established the program in in 2012. In the full-time role, Dodge will serve all members of the campus community following IOA standards and report to the college president. She will begin in December 2024.