IOA's Ombuds Release 2025 Annual Report

The International Ombuds Association's Ombuds, Laura C. Smythe and Tyler S. Smith, reported increased engagement in 2025, handling 33 cases and 51 individual visits, up from 16 cases and 35 visits in 2024. They noted that many interactions followed the IOA Annual Conference, underscoring the role of in-person events in surfacing concerns. Most visitors were affiliated with academic institutions and had between two and ten years of experience. Cases were split between IOA-related concerns and issues arising in members’ home institutions.

The report highlights recurring themes within the profession, including challenges in modeling collegial conduct, concerns about transparency in organizational decision-making, and tensions associated with dual-role or collateral-duty Ombuds positions. Additional discussion points included navigating political neutrality, debates over Ombuds program models, and expectations for leadership behavior. (Many of these issues have been mentioned in this blog.) Smythe and Smith emphasize that these observations are not definitive findings but reflect patterns from casework, and they call for continued dialogue on professional standards, structural independence, and community trust within the field. (IOA Ombuds 2025 Report.)

Related posts: IOA Seeks Proposals for First Conference Ombuds; IOA Names First Conference Ombuds; IOA's First Conference Ombuds Hired for Pilot Year; IOA Selects Next Ombuds; Job Posting (RFP); IOA Appoints Two Interim Ombuds; IOA Confirms Two Ombuds for 2023-24.