The Ombuds Blog: Virginia Commonwealth University Sets 2026 Conflict Resolution Day Program

September 11, 2026

Virginia Commonwealth University Sets 2026 Conflict Resolution Day Program

VCU's Ombudsperson, William King, has announced details for his 123h 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.

Agenda

NCRD History at VCU by Kathleen M. Rudasill, Interim Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

Keynote, “The Peacemaker's Dilemma Making Peace in a Dysfunctional System,” by Linda Brothers, Georgetown University Staff Ombuds

Small Group Table Discussions with Facilitators: Daniela Brancaforte, Georgetown University; Kimberly Jackson Davidson, George Mason University; Geoff Adelsberg, Virginia Tech University; Sarah H. Ahmed Atif, George Mason University; and Bryan Hanson, Virginia Tech University

(VCU Ombuds NCRD Info.)

No comments:

Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany/Austria -- Ombudspersonen and Ombudsleute

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

Comment Policy

Content and Relevance

Stay on topic: Comments should be relevant to the post.
Be respectful: Personal attacks, insults, profanity, inflammatory language, and discriminatory or harassing comments will not be tolerated.
No self-promotion or spam: Comments should contribute to the conversation and not be used to for commercial purposes.
No confidential information: Do not share confidential information about your organization or visitors.

Length and Format

Keep it concise: Comments should be clear and to the point. Excessively long comments may be edited for clarity and length.
Use appropriate formatting: Do not use all caps unnecessarily. Comments may include HTML formatting for readability.

Other Considerations

Be professional and respectful: Please be mindful of your content, even when commending anonymously.
Comments may be edited: I reserve the right to remove or edit any comments that violate these guidelines. My edits will be noted.
Complaints about IOA: This is not the appropriate forum to lodge formal complaints against the International Ombuds Association.
Guest editorials: Please email me directly to discuss a guest editorial offering a longer, more in-depth perspective on a topic related to the organizational ombuds profession

September 11, 2026

Virginia Commonwealth University Sets 2026 Conflict Resolution Day Program

No comments:

Post a Comment