University of Waterloo Selects Experienced Ombuds

Whitney Barrett has been appointed the new Ombudsperson for the public research university in Ontario. She will re-establish and manage an office to serve approximately 40,000 students following ACCUO standards of practice and reporting to the University Secretary. Barrett comes to UWaterloo after five years at Western University, most recently as Acting Ombudsperson. 

Barrett worked at Western for almost two decades in a variety of administrative roles before landing in the Ombuds Office in 2020. According to the latest annual report (released this week), the Ombuds Office at Western "saw a 21.3 per cent increase in student visitors in the 2023-24 school year — up 228 visitors from the previous year." Barrett earned an MBA at James Cook University and a MEd at York University. (LinkedIn; Western Gazette.)

Related posts: University of Waterloo Ombuds Surveys Visitors; University of Waterloo Renames Ombuds Office; ACCUO Publishes Standards of Practice; University of Western Ontario Names Next Assistant Ombuds; Job Posting (2024).