The Ombuds Blog: 2025

May 15, 2025

Leoncio Severino Lara Sáenz: Former Ombuds for UNAM and Founder of REDDU

Leoncio Severino Lara Sáenz passed away at the age of 85 in late April 2025. Lara served as defensor universitario of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City from 2003 to 2011 and was the founder and Executive Secretary of the Mexican Network of University Ombuds Offices (REDDU). He was also Vice President of the Instituto Latinoamericano del Ombudsman. Lara was also remembered as an active participant in the European Network of University Ombuds' annual conferences starting in 2007. For his many years of advocacy benefitting university Ombuds, ENOHE bestowed a lifetime membership to Lara in March 2024.

Canadian Space Agency Appoints First Dedicated Ombuds

Lynne Laramee has been named the first Ombuds for Canada's national space agency, Agence spatiale canadienne, in Longueuil, Quebec. Previously, the Office of Shared Ombuds Services, headed by Judith Brunet, provided Organizational Ombuds services for the agency's 1,000 employees. Laramme moved into the position after serving as the Executive Director of Human Resouces for the agency for three years. Prior to that, she was the Director of Executive Services for Shared Services Canada.

Yesterday, Maine State Senator Jill Duson introduced "An Act to Establish the Corrections Ombudsman" (Maine LD 1962). In most respects, the proposed Ombuds would resemble those in other states' prison programs, which are exclusively Classical Ombuds. However, Duson's bill would require the Ombuds to "act in accordance with the International Ombuds Association's or a successor organization's published code of ethics and standards of practice."

Emeritus Ombuds With a New Take on Embedded Services

In a recent blog post, Bruce MacAllister, offers a new perspective on the current debate about how Ombuds services are delivered and concerns about the quality of outsourced Ombuds services. (MacAllister brings significant experience to the conversation: he was an Ombuds for universities, a professional association, a nonprofit, and a federal lab; he served on the IOA board and was instrumental in developing legal arguments and ethical standards for Ombuds; and this year was awarded emeritus status.) Reflecting on a session at the IOA annual conference, he argues that "the question is not whether the ombuds is retained via a contract but rather how deeply embedded is the ombuds providing the services."

Ombuds at University of Victoria Posts 2024 Annual Report

Angus Shaw, the Ombudsperson for UVic, has released his 2024 annual report and recommendations. The focus of the report is not on statistical information, although that is provided, but on systemic trends and feedback. Last year, Shaw said that artificial intelligence highlighted and intensified deficiencies in academic misconduct decision-making at the university. He cited multiple examples of problems that led to unfair outcomes for students.

American InterContinental University Selects First Ombuds

Brooke Wichmann, CO-OP, has been appointed the first Ombuds for AIU, a private for-profit university based in Schaumburg, Illinois. In this new, full-time role, she will establish and manage a program to serve 11,000 students. Wichmann comes to AIU from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she has been the Associate Ombuds since 2021. During that time, she also served as an interim Ombuds for UT Chattanooga. (UTK Ombuds.)

The public university in Lexington has opened an internal search for its next Academic Ombud. The position may be filled by a tenured or emeriti faculty member who provides services to students with academic issues. UK had one of the first university Ombuds in the United States and 29 faculty have served in the position over the last five decades. Alice Turkington, Professor of Geography, has served several terms as the Academic Ombud since she was selected in 2021. The position reports to UK's provost and practices to IOA standards. (UK Now.)

In the latest issues of the Journal of the International Ombuds Association, Mary Rowe, shares a tale from her time as the Ombuds at MIT. The full article, "An Unusual Harassment Training that was Warmly Received—and, as well, Inspired Bystanders—an Organizational Ombuds," is now available online.

IOA Issues Guidance for Collateral Duty Ombuds

The International Ombuds Association has released a short white paper, "Guidance for Dual Role Ombuds." The document offers advice for Ombuds who hold additional roles within their organization and are seeking to conform to IOA standards. The guidance covers a range of issues, including: Budget and Compensation; Conflicts of Interest Including Mandatory Reporting; Confidentiality; Independence; Building Trust; and Constituency Size. Acknowledging the importance of disclosing the limitations of a collateral duty Ombuds, the guidance also includes a sample opening statement. (IOA Resources.)

Miranda Edwards was appointed the next Ombuds Officer for the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus in January 2025. She follows Emma Thacker, who moved to University of Toronto St. George Campus. Edwards (and all other UT Campus Ombuds) holds two roles and a dual reporting structure. As the Assistant Secretary, she provides administrative support, advice, and information to the Governing Council on policies, precedents, and procedures for assigned boards and committees. As the Ombuds, she reports to the University Ombudsperson, Bruce Kidd.

Job Posting: Center for Nonviolent Communication

The international nonprofit is hiring a Dispute Transformation Officer to join its Dispute Transformation Team. The fully-remote, part-time (30-40 hrs/mo) position "will function similar to an Organizational Ombudsperson who helps ... to ensure that people who are representing CNVC are honoring the agreements that they have made in relation to their roles." Curiously, the job description also says, "the DTO will investigate these concerns and address them with formal or information interventions such as requests, recommendations, mediation, arbitration, or referrals to governing bodies or other outside experts."

In October 2023, Chanelle Bouassali was appointed the Assistant Ombuds at the bilingual public university in Ontario for an initial, two-year term. Reporting to Martine Conway, Bouassali provides services to 50,000 students, faculty, and staff.

UCLA Selects a Campus Ombuds

Nearly three years after being tapped as the interim Campus Ombuds, Thomas Griffin has been selected for the permanent role. As the Campus Ombudsperson and Director of Ombuds Services, Griffin will lead that office that serves over 90,000 faculty, staff, and students at the research university in Los Angeles. Other members of the office currently include Brenda Woods-Patin, Natalie Gibson, and Ariella Morrison. Griffin reports as part of the Chancellor's office and practices to IOA standards.

"Leading a Divided Campus: Ideas and Illustrations" offers guidance for campus leaders seeking to to deepen their support of students and to reinforce norms of humane behaviors in the midst of vigorous disagreements. The fourth edition of the guide from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (with support from AAA-ICDR Foundation) was just released. The recommendations now include an active role for campus Ombuds, drawing on work by the Ombuds at Kenyon, Carrie Knell, and Brandeis, Don Greenstein.

University of Toronto Hosts Ontario Area Ombuds

Ombuds from universities around Ontario gathered at uToronto on April 23 and 24, 2025. The roundtable event offered university Ombuds the chance to share insights, explore emerging issues, and strengthen collegial networks. In addition to local faculty and administrators, remarks were offered by Bruce Kidd and Emma Thacker.

The public university in Beaumont, Texas, has adopted an administrative policy that is the functional equivalent of an Ombuds Charter. The new policy, which is endoresed by the president and provost, states that the Faculty and Staff Ombuds will practice to IOA standards. The policy also outlines the internal selection process. Jim Mann was named the first Faculty Ombuds in February 2022, but it does not appear that he is still serving in the role. (Lamar MAPP.)

Job Posting: Austrian Student Ombuds Office

Austria's national Student Ombuds Office (Ombudsstelle für Studierende), is hiring a full-time position in Vienna. Duties include receiving and processing student concerns, contributing to the annual activity report, liaising with ombudsmen in national and international networks, and planning and organizing office events. This is a temporary position to cover a colleague's parental leave and will report to the head of the office, Anna-Katharina Rothwangl.

Kristen Blankely is the author of a forthcoming article in the Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution, "Dispute Resolution Tradeoffs in Ombuds Office Design." Blankley, a Professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law, evaluates the design considerations of three types of Organizational Ombuds: the traditional Ombuds, an employee with no other duties; "Collateral duty Ombuds," an employee with other, unrelated duties; and "Outsourced Ombuds," external, contracted providers. Blankley spoke on some of these issues at the Centre for Informal Dispute Resolution conference in March 2024.

Job Posting: University of California Davis

The UC Davis Ombuds Office has reopened its search for an Associate Ombuds (Ombudsperson 4). The revised search will offer a two-year contract position instead of the original offer of a permanent position. In all other aspects, the position is unchanged. The full-time job will be based at UC Davis Health in Sacramento with some hybrid, from-home possibilities. The position reports to Director, Lauren Bloom, CO-OP, and joins Lindsey Ensor, Senior Associate Ombuds, CO-OP, Jenny Vaccari, Associate Ombuds, CO-OP, and Katie Ranney, Assistant Ombuds. 

Julie A. Muroff, CO-OP, has published a second article in the Journal of the International Ombuds Association. The Ombuds Director at Janelia Research Campus/Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers further guidance for Ombuds seeking to implement aspects of positive psychology into their work with visitors. The full article, "From Conflict to Connection: Continuing to Explore the What, Why, and How of Positive Psychology for Ombuds" is available online.

Job Posting: University of Michigan

Michigan has opened a search for a Student Ombudsperson. The full-time position serves more than 50,000 students following IOA standards. Tom Lehker has served in the role for over 15 years. The hybrid position is based on the UM campus in Ann Arbor and reports to the Vice President for Student Life.

Whitney Barrett, the recently appointed Ombudsperson for Waterloo, has published guidelines for visitors. A new webpage outlines expectations for respectful communication and behavior. Visitors who do not follow the guidance, may be cut off from Ombuds services.

Yesterday, several human rights advocacy organizations filed suit challenging the Trump administration’s decision last month to close DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Office, and Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman. The lawsuit is demanding the restoration of these key DHS oversight offices. (Democracy Forward.)

Job Posting: United Nations, New York

The Office of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services (UNOMS) is seeking a trilingual Consultant for Conflict Resolution. The fully-remote position will report to the Regional Ombudsman in New York and provide Ombuds services to UN employees for six months.

Job Posting: UVA Health

The University of Virginia Health System is seeking its first Ombuds. The new full-time position will report to the University Ombuds, Amanda Monaco, and practice to IOA standards. The Health Ombuds will provide services to about 13,000 faculty, staff, residents, postdocs, and students in the schools of medicine and nursing in Charlottesville and locations across the state. In addition, the Health Ombuds will also serve as the primary facilitator and trainer for the UVA University Ombuds Office. The position is eligibility for hybrid or flexible scheduling and the start date is (ideally) early summer 2025.

The latest issue of the German language journal Personal in Hochschule und Wissenschaft entwickeln (Developing Personnel in Higher Education and Science) includes an article about the work of Scientific Ombuds: "Die Verflechtung von Ombudswesen, Organisationskultur und Personalentwicklung" (Strengthening Ombudsman Work: The Interrelationship of Ombudsman Services, Organizational Culture, and Human Resources Development). The authors are Hjördis Czesnick, Head of the head of Office of the Ombuds Committee for Research Integrity in Germany, and Katrin Frisch, Scientific Officer in the same office.

IOA Board Elects 2025 Leadership

The Board of Directors for the International Ombuds Association has announced the election of its officers for the 2025 term. All are long-time volunteers and professional Ombuds. The IOA Board meets at least monthly, with more meetings for the executive leadership.

San Francisco State University has opened an internal search for its next Director of Strategic Initiatives and University Ombudsman. The search will fill a position held most recently by Theodore Albiniak, who is Ombudsperson for UC Law San Francisco. The full-time position has "three interrelated roles: serving as the University Ombuds, leading strategic initiatives, and managing community relations efforts." The position reports jointly to the Offices of the President and University Advancement.

Cherekana Feliciano has joined the Employee Partners for Conflict Transformation (EmPaCT) Office at Rutgers University as an Associate Conflict Navigation Specialist. She will work with Frieda Hoffman, the inaugural Conflict Navigation Specialist, providing services to university staff that generally follow IOA standards. Meanwhile, Rutgers has existing Ombuds programs for students and medical trainees.

Job Posting: Ombudsman's Committee for Scientific Integrity in Germany

Ombudsgremium für die wissenschaftliche Integrität in Deutschland (OWID) is hiring a Deputy Head of Office based in Berlin. The full-time, permanent position will handle cases and concerns related to scientific practice and integrity in higher education, and assist with managing staff and volunteer Ombuds. The position reports to Hjördis Czesnick, the Head of the OWID Office.

This week, the International Ombuds Association recognized three retired members as Distinguished Emeriti. The award comes from peer nominations and is given only to retired Ombuds with a record of significant service.

This year the honor was given to:

Job Posting: Central State University

The public land-grant university in Wilberforce, Ohio (the state's only HBCU), is has reopened its search for a Director of the Office of Student Ombuds. Reporting to the President's Chief of Staff, the Ombuds will serve about 5,500 enrolled students. In February, CSU announced that Jonathan Hairston had been hired for the position. An updated website for the office no longer includes his name.

The European Network of Ombuds in Higher Education is updating a landmark survey. In 2017, ENOHE published a monograph by Rob Behrens, "Being an Ombudsman in Higher Education." The document has been cited many times by ENOHE and elsewhere, and it is now due for an update. ENOHE is inviting participants to complete a questionnaire to map the strength and diversity of Ombuds in higher education in Europe and beyond.

In November 2021, Lori LaBrie was appointed the inaugural Ombuds for TRS of Texas, the sixth largest public pension fund in the U.S. She provides services to TRS members and retirees with benefits issues and practices to IOA standards.

The Minnesota House of Representatives approved an omnibus budget bill that includes language to create a new Ombuds to facilitate disputes between residents and homeowner associations. Unlike HOA Ombuds in other states, the Minnesota proposal does not grant the Ombuds investigatory powers. Other features echo standards used by Organizational Ombuds, including independence, informality, trend reporting, and dispute resolution expertise.

Job Posting: University of Western Ontario

The public research university in London, Ontario, is hiring an Associate Ombudsperson. In addition to Ombuds work the position will also be responsible for "key operational functions" (e.g. coordinating financial processes, managing appointment scheduling, and overseeing front-line communications). The position will report to the the Acting Ombudsperson, Joan Finegan. and and join Associate Ombuds, Stephanie Bolingbroke.

Last week, the International Ombuds Association Board President, Sarah Klaper, announced the 2025 President’s Award. The recipients were:

IOA Publishes Long-Awaited Ombuds Book

The International Ombuds Association has published its first book: The Organizational Ombuds: Foundations, Fundamentals & The Future. Written by practicing Ombuds, the book offers a thorough and current overview of the profession. Edited by Shannon L. Burton (Ombuds at Michigan State University) and Loraleigh Keashly (Professor of Communication at Wayne State University), the book is a comprehensive compilation of the interdisciplinary and nuanced history, theory and practices found within the field.

Kamaria B. Porter will join Shannon Lynn Burton as Ombuds for AERA's annual conference, April 23-27, 2025. The professional association for academic researchers implemented an Ombuds program for conference attendees, staff, exhibitors, vendors, and others in 2019. Porter is Porter is the Associate Ombuds at Northwestern University and a long-time AERA annual meeting attendee. Burton is the University Ombudsperson at Michigan State University and was one of two inaugural Ombuds for AERA. (AERA Newsroom.)

IOA Elects 2025 Board of Directors

At its annual conference last week, the International Ombuds Association announced the results of its latest election for the Board of Directors. One new board member was voted onto the board after an unprecedented run-off election in early April. The new board member and four reelected incumbents for three-year terms starting after following the IOA Annual Meeting on 16 April 2025.

In September 2025, Pati Montojo was joined the Ombuds team at UCSB as an Associate Ombuds. The filled a position vacated by Don Lubach and reports to the Campus Ombuds, Caroline Adams. Montojo will work with faculty, staff, and student visitors.

University of Utah Names Four Ombuds

The U of U has reopened its Office of the Ombuds with four collateral duty Ombuds: Karen M. Gunning, Clinical Professor of Pharmacotherapy and Associate Dean of Community Engagement; Patricia K. Kerig, Professor of Clinical Psychology; Maureen Murtaugh, Professor of Internal Medicine; and Trina G. Rich, Director of University & Academic Affairs Policy Administration. Together, they provide Ombuds services to students, trainees, faculty, post-doctoral fellows, staff, and other employees, including University of Utah Health. (Utah Ombuds.)

Diana Vermeul has been hired as an Ombuds Consultant with the World Bank Group. She joins four other Ombuds: Caroline Nekesa Wanyonyi in Bangkok, Thailand; Doris Cecilia Campos-Infantino in Washington, DC; Axel R. Peuker in Washington, DC; and Jules Baughns in Nairobi; Kenya. Vermeul moves into the position from the World Bank Respectful Workplace Advisors Program, where she has worked for the past two years. She received the IOA President's Award in 2024.

On May 14, 2025, the American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section will offer a webinar on "The Organizational Ombuds – Why Your Company Needs One and What Counsel Should Know." The panel will feature Sana Manjeshwar, Global leader of Chevron´s Office of Ombuds, Steven Prevaux, Faculty Staff Ombuds at the University of South Florida, Mark C. Fava, Vice President and Ombudsman for The Boeing Company, and Chuck Doran, Executive Director of MWI.

SUNY Oneonta Debuts Ombuds Program

The State University of New York at Oneonta has unveiled an Office of the Ombudsman to serve faculty, staff, and students. Michael Kush, the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students has been named the inaugural Ombuds. The new program explicitly practices to IOA standards.

Arturo E. Hernandez has been appointed the next Ombudsperson for faculty and staff at the public research university in Texas. He follows Richard Bond, who served in the role since 2006 and supplements the work of& Funda Sahin, the Ombuds for graduate and professional students at the public research university in Texas.

The California Caucus of College and University Ombuds is seeking speaker proposals for its annual in-person meeting. The unique and intimate caucus is set for November 9-12, 2025, at the rustic and historic Asilomar Conference Grounds. This year's theme is, "Finding Solid Ground in Shifting Sands." The deadline for proposals is May 2, 2025.

University of Maryland, Baltimore Names First Research Ombuds

Bruce K. Krueger has been appointed to the newly established position of Research Ombuds in the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Office of the Provost. Kreuger will provide Ombuds services to the UMB research community — including faculty, postdoctoral scholars, students, and staff — who may have concerns or questions regarding research misconduct and other research-related issues. His work will supplement that of Brian Godette, the long-time UMB Ombuds for faculty and staff.

Carolijn Winnubst was appointed the Ombudsman for Amsterdam Universitair Medische Centra in August 2024. She follows Henny Krijnen, who served in the role for nearly five years. As the Ombuds, Winnubst heads a program that includes the Confidential Affairs office and provides services to UMC employees.

The Centre for Informal Dispute Resolution at Saint Paul University in Ottawa has released the agenda for its second annual symposium and there are many sessions for and about Ombuds. Organized by two professors at USP: Brent Epperson and Jean-François Rioux, this year's theme is, "Building Better Workplaces: Toward Comprehensive Conflict Resolution Systems."

Here is a list of the sessions relevant to Ombuds:

May 15, 2025

May 14, 2025

May 13, 2025

May 12, 2025

May 08, 2025

May 07, 2025

May 05, 2025

May 01, 2025

April 29, 2025

April 28, 2025

April 25, 2025

April 24, 2025

April 23, 2025

April 22, 2025

April 18, 2025

April 17, 2025

April 16, 2025

April 15, 2025

April 14, 2025

April 07, 2025

April 04, 2025

April 03, 2025