The Ombuds Blog: 2026

October 02, 2026

Berea College Appoints First Ombuds

Anovia Slaughter has been selected as the inaugural Ombuds for the highly ranked, private liberal arts college in Kentucky. Slaughter, who previously served as the inaugural University Ombuds at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, began her new position in August 2026. The full-time position serves Berea faculty and staff and follows IOA standards. It reports to the college president and does not serve Berea's approximately 1,500 students.

University of Idaho Adds a Student Ombuds

The University of Idaho has named Mario Pile as its new Student Ombuds. Pile joins David Talbot in the Ombuds Office and brings more than 20 years of experience in youth development, education, student advocacy, and public service. His appointment returns the Student Ombuds position to the university.

University of West Bohemia Expands Student Ombuds Program

UWB (Západočeská univerzita v Plzni) in Pilsen, Czech Republic, has expanded its student Ombuds program, adding teams at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and the Faculty of Design and Art Ladislav Sutnar. The university now has Student Ombuds at five of its faculties, alongside university-wide Ombuds Petr Šimon. The student Ombuds provide independent and confidential assistance to students dealing with academic and personal problems, including inappropriate behavior, discrimination, harassment, and conflicts with lecturers or classmates.

Jorge A. Ribeiro-Pereira, the former Student Ombudsman at the Universidade da Beira Interior in Portugal, is one of three authors of a new study examining Ombuds institutions in European higher education. The chapter, “Conceptualizing Ombudsman Institutions in European Higher Education Area: Analytical Models from a Systematic Literature Review,” appears in Openness: A Mission Challenged published by Brill last month. Ribeiro-Pereira, Ana I. Melo, and Teresa Carvalho reviewed the scholarly literature on higher-education Ombuds in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), examining how different institutional models relate to the governance and autonomy of higher-education institutions.

The state research university in Southeast North Carolina is again offering a graduate-level course on Organizational Ombuds. CMR 523 is a three-credit course in UNCW's Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Resolution program. The course provides foundational training for the Organizational Ombuds role and is intended for practicing Ombuds, people interested in becoming Ombuds, and administrators considering establishing an Organizational Ombuds function. The course is also available through UNCW's post-baccalaureate certificate in Conflict Management and Resolution. Kimrey Rhinehardt, a faculty member in the program, teaches the course.

Cascadia College Launches Ombuds Pilot

The public community college in Bothell, Washington, has launched a pilot Ombuds program for faculty and students. Ana Nina, Director of Inclusion, Advocacy, and Community Programs for the past three years, has adding the Ombuds role to her existing position. The college describes the Ombuds as an impartial, informal, independent, and confidential resource for addressing conflicts and identifying systemic issues. The pilot is intended to run through the 2026–27 academic year, after which the college will evaluate the program and make adjustments as necessary.

A recent article in Nature examines how PhD students can change laboratories or advisers when their research interests, working styles, or mentoring relationships are no longer a good fit. The article, “How do I change labs gracefully during my PhD?”, draws on advice from graduate students, academic leaders, a career counsellor, and two Ombuds: Ellen Goldstein, at the University of California San Francisco, and Shirley Nakata, Ombudsperson for Students at the University of British Columbia.

IOA Opens Nominations for 2027 Distinguished Emeriti Ombuds.

The International Ombuds Association is soliciting nominations for its annual Distinguished Emeritus Award. Each year, the IOA Board of Directors recognizes a small number of retired Ombuds for their outstanding and dedicated service to the organization and the Ombuds profession more broadly.

The European Ombuds and Mediators Group, IOA's Regional Advancement Community, met September 16–17 in Salzburg, Austria, hosted by Salzburg Global. Ombuds participants included: Jan Galkowski, Ombuds with MWI and former Ombuds at Uniwersytet Rzeszowski; Tuba Bilecik, Ombudsperson at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory; Carsten Pöschl, Global Corporate Ombudsperson at SAP; Spyridon (“Spyros”) Antonelos, Head of the Mediation & Ombuds Function at the European Central Bank; and Ion (“Ninel”) Anghel, Director of the PetrOmbudsman Department at OMV Petrom. The meeting provided an opportunity for European Organizational Ombuds to exchange experiences and discuss developments in the profession. (LinkedIn Galkowski, Poschl, Antonelos.)

New York University Names First Administrator Ombuds

NYU has appointed Seamus Mullin as its first Administrator Ombudsperson. In this new role, he will provide services for administrators to discuss workplace concerns off the record, explore options, receive coaching and referrals, and raise systemic concerns. The office follows IOA standards and starts operations on October 1, 2026.

An article in the Journal of Education Human Resources examines the lived experiences of Organizational Ombuds and their relationship to psychological safety in higher education. In “You Are Safe Here: The Lived Experiences of Organizational Ombuds and Psychological Safety in Higher Education,” Angella J. Wint, Cristobal Salinas, Jr., and Deborah L. Floyd use a phenomenological study to explore how Ombuds understand psychological safety and how those experiences inform their work with university constituents. Wint has been the Ombuds for Florida Atlantic University since 2019.

Association des ombudsmans en enseignement supérieur du Québec (Quebec Higher Education Ombuds Association) will host a free webinar on October 8, 2026, as part of Ombuds Day. Anaïs Lacroix, Ombuds at VIA Rail, will discuss how an Ombuds function can evolve to build trust and increase its organizational impact while preserving independence. The program will be moderated by Annick Dallaire, Commissioner for Complaints and Service Quality and Vice President of ARGP, and Caroline Roy, Ombuds at the Université de Montréal and President of AOESQ.

Colorado Springs Schools Ombuds Sues After Administrators Seize Files

Colorado Springs School District 11, the central public school system in Colorado’s second-largest city, has been sued by its Ombuds, Natasha Bullard Ka’onohi. Her complaint alleges that Deputy Superintendent Brandan Comfort entered her office and removed confidential files, including a file containing informal employee complaints and concerns about Superintendent Michael Gaal. Ka’onohi, who has served as District 11’s Director of Equal Opportunity Programs & Ombudservice since 2023, filed the lawsuit against Comfort and Gaal on September 8. According to the district's website, the Ombudservice is an independent and confidential resource for students, parents, and staff, and does not keep written records.

JHU is seeking an Associate Ombudsperson to join its Ombuds Office. The full-time, remote position will report to University Ombudsperson Annalisa Peterson and serve staff, graduate and postdoctoral students, fellows, and programs following IOA standards. The position requires some travel to JHU campuses.

IOM is hiring a Conflict Resolution Officer to be based in Nairobi. Reporting to the Deputy Ombudsperson, the P-3 position provides case management, research, trend analysis, reporting, outreach, and training following IOA standards. The search will fill the role most recently held by Hans Kohler.

Utrecht University Offers Masterclass on Ombuds Practice

Universiteit Utrecht in the Netherlands will offer a five-day training Ombudsfunctionaris in breed perspectief (“Ombudsfunctionaris in Broad Perspective”) on November 23–27, 2026. The program is intended for Ombuds and related professionals, including Classical Ombudsmen, working in areas such as complaints handling, mediation, HR, legal assistance, governance, compliance, and policy advising.

ECADRN, the Early Career Alternative Dispute Resolution Network, will host a Virtual ADR Fair on November 12, 2026, in collaboration with the Ray Corollary Initiative, the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution at Cornell ILR School, and the American Arbitration Association. The event aims to introduce students, early-career professionals, career changers, and others to career pathways in ADR. The two-and-a-half-hour webinar will feature ADR organizations, academic programs, training providers, and professional associations. The International Ombuds Association is a Supporting Sponsor and will introduce attendees to Organizational Ombuds practice as one of the career paths within ADR.

COFO Announces 2026 Annual Conference

The Coalition of Federal Ombuds will hold its 2026 Annual Conference on Friday, September 25, 2026, with both in-person and virtual attendance options. The in-person conference will be held at the Clara Barton Auditorium at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia. Registration is free and required, and will close at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, September 24.

National University to Celebrate Ombuds Day 2026

National University will celebrate Ombuds Day on Thursday, October 8, with a 90-minute virtual/hybrid program hosted by its Ombuds, LaCrisia “Cris” Gilbert. This year’s event, “Ombuds: The Office of Options,” will highlight the Ombuds Office as a resource for exploring possibilities, navigating challenges, and making informed choices. The program will feature remarks from National University leadership and a keynote address by Reese Ramos, University Ombuds at Virginia Tech, along with mindfulness and reflection activities, a spoken word performance, interactive audience engagement, and practical tools for navigating conversations and conflict.

IT:U Establishes Two Ombuds Offices

Austria's newest university, the Interdisciplinary Transformation University in Linz, has established two Ombuds offices. Nata Sturua was named Student Ombudsperson in Fall 2025 (coinciding with the matriculation of the first cohort of graduate students). The Students Ombuds Office serves all IT:U students with mediation and dialogue, guidance on university rules and procedures, and assistance with informal resolution of concerns. The university is expected to eventually enroll 5,000 students, including undergraduates, in the next decade. Sturua is a lawyer and Associate Professor with experience in international business law, mediation, conflict resolution, and legal research, most recently serving as Head of the International Business Law Program at the University of Georgia in Tbilisi. (IT:U Student Ombuds.)

Cal Poly Humboldt Names New Ombuds

Jayne McGuire has joined the Ombuds Office at Cal Poly Humboldt, where she serves alongside University Ombudsperson John Meyer. McGuire succeeds Suzanne Pasztor, who served for three years in the role. The two Ombuds provide services to the entire campus, with a primary focus on student concerns.

Michigan State University Expands Ombuds Services to All

Michigan State University has expanded the scope of its Office of the University Ombudsperson to formally include all members of the university community. Historically, the country's longest continuously operating university Ombuds office has served only students. The office, led by University Ombuds Shannon Lynn Burton, now provides services to the entire university community, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and families of students. The expansion is reflected in the office’s revised charter. (LinkedIn; MSU Ombuds Charter.)

Dante Jaime Haro Reyes, University Ombuds (Defensor de los Derechos Universitarios) at Universidad de Guadalajara, has assumed the presidency of the Ibero-American Network of University Ombuds (Red Iberoamericana de Defensorías Universitarias, RIdDU) for a two-year term. The network includes more than 100 universities in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal and promotes the exchange of experiences and practices among university Ombuds offices. The appointment marks the first time a Mexican university has held the network’s presidency.

Job Posting: Boston University

The private research university in Boston is seeking a University Ombuds to lead its Office of the Ombuds, which serves faculty, students, and staff on the university’s campuses and satellite facilities. (Francine Montemurro, was appointed BU’s inaugural University Ombuds in 2009 and currently leads the office.) The full-time position reports to the Senior Vice President for People, Belonging, and Culture and supervises two Associate Ombuds, Samantha Levine-Finley and Lailul Ikram.

ISU has reopened its search for a University Ombuds after not filling the position following last year's search. The full-time, in-person position, based in Pocatello and reporting to the President, will provide services to faculty and staff. It appears that the position will collaborate with the university's existing Faculty/Staff Ombuds.

VCU's Ombudsperson, William King, has announced details for his 13h annual National Conflict Resolution Day program on October 15, 2026. The keynoter for the program this year will be Linda Brothers, Georgetown University Staff Ombuds. The theme for the one-day conference is "Managing Conflict in a Changing Environment." The rest of the day includes panel discussions and group work, with several other Ombuds from the Mid Atlantic region will serve as facilitators. As usual, the event is free and open to the public.

IOA’s New Strategic Plan Signals a Shift in Priorities Through 2030

The International Ombuds Association has adopted a new five-year strategic direction, continuing a planning process that started in 2020. IOA’s “Strategic Direction 2021–2024,” identified four goals: Strengthening Ombuds’ capacity and tools; Increasing organizational leaders’ understanding and appreciation of the Ombuds function; Ensuring that IOA operated effectively and had sufficient financial resources; and Developing a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and engagement. The “2026 Strategic Direction” retains those four broad goals but explicitly describes the change as one of different strategies and tactics.

Southern Connecticut Rotary Creates Ombuds Program

Rotary District 7980, a regional district of Rotary International encompassing local clubs in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties, has established a three-member Conflict Resolution Team to provide an informal resource for members whose concerns cannot be resolved at the club level. The team "will be guided by" IOA’s four core principles of confidentiality, informality, neutrality and independence. The program began accepting inquiries on September 1, 2026.

AOESQ (Association des ombudsmans en enseignement supérieur du Québec) has selected its executive committee for the coming year. The new officers are: Caroline Roy (Ombusman chez Université de Montréal), President; Marianne Leblond (Ombudsman adjointe chez Université de Montréal), Treasurer; and Stephanie Mc Farland (Ombudsman adjointe - Université de Sherbrooke), Secretary. The committee will support AOESQ members, strengthen its community of practice, and promote the Ombuds function throughout Quebec’s higher education sector. AOESQ brings together Ombuds from colleges and universities across the province. (LinkedIn.)

The Fox Graduate School at Penn State has expanded its Graduate Student Ombudsperson Program from two faculty members to eight. Associate Dean for Graduate Academic Affairs, Douglas Orzolek, explained that the expansion, “reflects both the need for the Ombudsperson Program and our commitment to providing a trusted, confidential avenue for guidance and support.” The new faculty Ombuds are:

Mike Giancola, NC State’s Student Ombuds, will retire from the university effective November 1 and become Dean of Students and Associate Vice Provost at the University of Pittsburgh. Giancola joined NC State in 1998 and has served as Student Ombuds since 2016. Meanwhile Bradley Davis continues as NC State’s Faculty and Staff Ombuds. NC State says it will provide information about the future of Student Ombuds Services in the coming months. (NCSU DASA News.)

Survey Finds Ombuds Offices at Nearly All Top Universities

A new report by Neil H. Katz, a professor at Nova Southeastern University, and PhD students Kadianne Pinard and Ronda Rascon examines the presence and organizational characteristics of Ombuds programs at the top 80 U.S. universities. The survey, initially conducted by graduate students in Katz’s Fall 2024 Organizational Ombuds course, was updated and expanded in July 2026 using the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The updated survey found that 96% of the 80 universities had established Ombuds offices, with one of the three institutions without an office considering establishing one.

The American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section will mark Ombuds Day 2026 with a virtual program exploring the connections between mediation and Ombuds work. “Options in Action: Where Mediation Meets the Ombuds World” will examine the shared skills and approaches of the two professions, as well as the ways different Ombuds models provide an “Office of Options” for those navigating conflict.

Job Posting: Western University

The public university in London, Ontario, is seeking an Associate Ombudsperson for a one-year temporary, full-time contract covering a leave of absence. The on-site position reports to the University Ombuds, Mel Molnar. ;The Associate Ombuds serves as the first point of contact for students and also supports the office's administrative functions. (Stephanie Bolingbroke has served in the position since July 2025.)

Tim Griffin: Former NIU Ombuds and IOA Emeritus

Tim Griffin, who was the Ombuds at Northern Illinois University from 1991 to 2012, passed away last week at the age of 74. In addition to his 21 years as Ombuds at NIU, Griffin was an active volunteer and leader within the Ombuds profession. He established and hosted the Summer Academic Ombuds Meeting for nine years, authored several important articles about the Ombuds field, and helped train many other university Ombuds.

Anna Soedira, the former Ombudsperson for Staff at Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, is seeking formal redress and compensation from the university following her departure in 2025. Soedira left after the university’s Executive Board withdrew its confidence in her. She is now seeking to have her reputation restored and to receive compensation, with support from the university’s representative council.

KP is hiring a full-time HealthCare Ombuds/Mediator for its medical facilities in Walnut Creek, California. The Kaiser HCOM, "functions as a trained alternative dispute professional offering patients, family members, staff & providers a conflict management program to resolve patient/provider healthcare disputes early thereby improving patient safety & reducing the costs of health care dispute resolution." The position requires travel 50% of the time.

Get Ready for Ombuds Day 2026

The ninth annual Ombuds Day will be celebrated on Thursday, October 8, 2026, with the theme of “Ombuds: Office of Options.” More details will be posted here as plans develop. (Ombuds Day Blog; ABA Events.)

Fred Wright, Workplace Conciliator (Organizational Ombuds) in the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning for Victoria, Australia, is the author of the latest article in the Journal of the International Ombuds Association. In "Ombudsing in Complex Environments," Wright argues that Ombuds need an updated role definition and knowledge base to effectively navigate increasingly complex organizational environments rather than relying on outdated professional assumptions and tools. The full article is now available online.

IOA Announces Speakers for 2026 September Symposium

The International Ombuds Association has released the agenda for its 2026 September Symposium, "Reframing Power and Influence: Exploring Intentional Ombuds Sway and the Tension Around Influence." The event for intermediate and advanced Ombuds practitioners will take place on September 30 and October 1, 2026, at the Red Cross Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Call for Presenters: IOA 2027 Annual Conference

The International Ombuds Association is inviting presentation proposals for its 22nd Annual Conference, which will be held in Vancouver, BC, on March 15-17, 2027. The announcement include several significant changes from last year's process, including the addition of half- and full-day pre-conference programs and a possible Research Symposium on the last day of the conference.

Call for Presentations: COFO 2026 Annual Conference

The Coalition of Federal Ombudsman is seeking proposals for presentations at its 2026 Annual Conference, which will be held in Alexandria, Virginia, on September 25, 2026. The free, hybrid event focuses on the needs of Ombuds practitioners serving in the federal government, but welcomes presenters and attendees from across the profession and broader alternative dispute resolution community.

Article Examines Structural Vulnerability of Campus Ombuds

Paul J. Caffera, the University Ombuds at the University of Mississippi, is the author of a forthcoming article in Negotiation Journal, “The Ombuds in American Higher Education: A Distinct Dispute Resolution Role Built on a Flawed Foundation.” In his article, Caffera argues that a structural weakness embedded in the campus Ombuds model from its inception has left the role vulnerable to marginalization, closure, and outsourcing.

Job Posting: Clark Atlanta University

The private HBCU in Southwest Atlanta is seeking a Special Assistant/Ombudsman for students and parents with concerns affecting the academic experience, student success, and campus climate. The new full-time, interim position is based in Academic Affairs and reports to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. CAU is part of Atlanta University Center Consortium with three other colleges and universities including Spelman College, which also recently established an Ombuds office.

Job Posting: Utah Valley University

The large public university in Orem is seeking its next Assistant Director of Student Conflict Resolution/Ombuds. The search will fill a position recently vacated by Victoria Cruz, who was promoted to Deputy Dean of Students. The full-time Ombuds position serves a student body of 37,000 and reports to the VP of Student Affairs. In addition, UVU's Ombuds oversees an Ombuds Fellowship Program.

UVA has named Riley E. Barrar as its new University Ombuds. She will lead a program that serves nearly 40,000 faculty, staff, and students and supervises the UVA Health Ombuds, Henry Yampolsky, and a Program Coordinator.

Boston University Selects an Experienced Associate Ombuds

Samantha Levine-Finley has been appointed the new Associate Ombuds at BU, joining University Ombuds Francine Montemurro and Associate Ombuds Lailul Ikram.

JHU will expand its Ombuds Office this fall to provide services to university staff. The office was established in 2021 to serve PhD students and postdoctoral fellows and expanded last year to include master's and medical students. The office, led by Annalisa Peterson, will add an Associate Ombuds as it begins serving staff.

The American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution Ombuds Committee will begin monthly meetings on August 25, 2026. These meetings are free and open to "practicing ombuds from any sector, ombuds-curious, or just want to connect with individuals dedicated to the work." Bathabile K. S. Mthombeni and Matt Ricke are the committee co-chairs. Subsequent meetings are planned for: September 22, October 27, and November 24, 2026; and January 26, February 23, and March 23, 2027. (ABA Events.)

Ombuds Returns to University for Peace

UPEACE, the United Nations-affiliated university in Costa Rica, has reappointed Kathya Araya as its Ombudsperson. Araya previously served in the role from 2020 to 2022 and returns to the position following a search launched earlier this year. The Ombudsperson provides confidential guidance to students, staff, visiting faculty and scholars, interns, consultants, contractors, and others covered by university policies, with responsibilities including the prevention and resolution of prohibited conduct.

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