The private research university in Upstate New York has reposted its opening for a University Ombuds. The search will fill a position established by Lynnett Van Slyke in 2022. The Ombuds serves all campus stakeholders and practices to IOA standards. The position reports as part of the Provost's Office and also coordinates an Ombuds Affiliate Network (see original post).
The position description has not changed appreciably since it was posted in February 2025. Applicants must have a Master's degree (doctorate preferred), advanced training, and at least five years of relevant experience. Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioner (CO-OP) is preferred. The compensation range is $108,483 to $162,725 per years. No application deadline indicated. (Rochester Careers.)
Some thoughts from a former Rochesterian. Metro Rochester is a lovely, on the Eastside. It is very, very cold, and has high energy costs. Your car will rust; the salt use is massive. Traffic is surprisingly bad as are some of the neighborhoods close to campus. Campus is not pretty, aside from the library and the riverfront, but it is compact, with a couple of notable off-campus sutes scattered around the city.
ReplyDeleteTaxes will take a surprisingly large bite. NY taxes are high. There is also a City tax. This makes a comparable salary at RIT higher. Parking at U Rochester is more challenging than on most campuses given its geography.
Given all this and tha salaries paid by its peers, think Duke and Northwestern, even the top-end salary is low. With all if this, it is surprising they did not set a salary starting closer to $200,000. A few years ago, a recruiter shared with me that Duke and Northwestern were aiming at $225-260k. In Pittsburg, recently, they were looking at $180k.
This is an AUU school with high expectations, kicated in an area that presents expense and lifestyle issues. Leadership also seems willing to poke the Education Department and Trump Administration's eye with a stick re. DEI. That may be admirable; it might also not bode well for this position if they fail to allow the hire to be indepeneldent of such pressures.
The University would do well to increase the salary and hire a search firm which can help filter out counterproductive impulses from leadership.
Kicated? Located? After looking it up it seems RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) is located in a town right next door to Rochester hence the salary comparison based on city taxes. My geography lesson is complete for today.
ReplyDeleteThe link does not work.
ReplyDeleteThis job was re-posted without an application deadline and was closed just a few days later.
ReplyDeleteNo shenanigans there along the Genesee River.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that reposting was a form of hardball contract negotiating: "Ih, you are not sure you want the job at THAT salary? No problem. We'll just find someone else."
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