NIU Ombuds Dispels Rumors of Office's Demise

In response to recent confusion on campus, Tim Griffin reports that the Northern Illinois University Office of the Ombudsman still exists. It has not been closed, its name has not been changed and it continues to serve students, faculty and staff. (Northern Today.)

Job Posting: Princeton University

Princeton is seeking a University Ombudsperson. The position reports to the Provost and has general administrative responsibility over the University's Ombuds Office, including the Associate Ombuds Officer and campus peer mediators. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree and at 5-7 years of directly-related experience; An advanced degree is preferred, as is prior work in an academic setting. A review of applications will begin immediately with priority given to applications received by October 24, 2008. (Princeton Jobs, Req. No. 0800623; Princeton Salary Plan.)

Related posts: New [Associate] Ombuds at Princeton.

Study: Settling Better Than Winning a Lawsuit

The results of a study of 2,054 California civil cases that went to trial from 2002 to 2005, indicates that most litigants who forgo a settlement offer end up with less money by going to trial. According to Randall L. Kiser, a co-author of the study published in a Cornell law journal, plaintiffs made a bad decision 61 percent of cases and defendants in 24 percent of cases. In just 15 percent of cases, both sides were right to go to trial (i.e., the defendant paid less than the plaintiff had wanted but the plaintiff got more than the defendant had offered). (Journal of Empirical Legal Studies; NY Times.)

The statistics continue to reinforce the conventional wisdom that alternative dispute resolution is a rational decision for stakeholders. This fact points to continued growth for the Organizational Ombuds profession.

Dealing With Race in the Workplace

Carmen Van Kerckhove an award-winning expert on race and pop culture offers five new rules for dealing with race at work.

• Rule 1: Don't be colorblind. (Race still matters because racism is alive and well.)
• Rule 2: Understand that diversity training is about protecting the company, not about educating you.
• Rule 3: When someone tells a racist joke, play dumb. (Racist jokes rely on an unspoken, shared knowledge of racist stereotypes. Without the stereotypes, there is no humor.)
• Rule 4: Think twice before reporting racial discrimination to HR. (Your first step should almost always be to discuss your concerns directly with the person whom you believe is discriminating.)
• Rule 5: Learn about racial stereotypes to advance your career. (Professionals need a clear understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses if they want to take their careers to the next level.)

Van Kerckhove's rules are excellent advice for Ombuds and their visitors. (Brazen Careerist.)

TSA Ombuds Surveys Visitor Satisfaction

The Transportation Security Administration Office of the Ombudsman has released the results of a customer satisfaction survey. In the first 13 months, about 1,600 visitors responded to the survey, which started as a telephone survey and later expanded to include an online option. According to TSA Ombuds Joyce DeMoss, the results showed that TSA employees could easily contact an Ombuds staff member and were satisfied with the service. (TSA Weekly.)

Related post: Inspector General Recommends Realignment of TSA Ombuds Program.

University of Texas Austin Appoints Faculty Ombuds

UTA has appointed Mary Steinhardt as its Faculty Ombudsperson for the 2008-2009 academic year. Steinhardt is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education and has taught a freshman leadership seminar. She earned her B.S. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.S. from Lamar University, Ed.D. at the University of Houston. Steinhardt was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Georgia , and earned a M.A. in professional counseling at Southwest Texas State University. Her research focuses on the resilience education and the health effects of stress (UT Faculty Ombuds; Profile; Vita.)

Related post: UT Austin Screening for Faculty Ombuds.

Conflict Resolution Day at University of Colorado Features Ombuds

Tom Sebok, Director of the campus Ombuds Office, kicks off a day-long series of workshops and seminars for Conflict Resolution Day at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The program is sponsored by the Peace & Conflict Studies Program and includes sessions on Constructive Confrontation, Restorative Justice, and Managing Faculty Conflict. (Schedule, CUB Peace & Conflict Studies Program.)

Gallaudet Ombuds to Mark Conflict Resolution Day

Suzy Rosen Singleton, University Ombuds for Gallaudet, will mark International Conflict Resolution Day with a presentation on October 16 by Dr. Caroline Pezzarossi, ADA compliance specialist with the new D.C. Office of Disability Rights. In addition to Dr. Pezzarossi's discussion on resolving conflicts by using available resources, the workshop also will provide a brief primer on campus conflict management resources. (Gallaudet Daily Digest.)

Related posts: Profile of Gallaudet's New Ombuds; Plan Now for Third Annual Conflict Resolution Day.

Out of the Blue, University of Louisville to Open Ombuds Office

In the wake of a scandal involving a former dean now under federal investigation and allegations of a broken grievance process, the 22,000-student public university has announced that it is "setting up an interim Ombuds office, similar to those in existence at other major universities." Prior to the announcement, there was no indication that an Ombuds program had even been considered. According to a UofL spokesperson, the independent, neutral and, confidential office will report to the Provost for administrative and budgetary purposes. Full details on the program, including personnel involved, are promised next week. (UofL Update; Inside Higher Ed.)

University of Calgary Considering Ombuds Program

The university and its Student Union are looking at a proposal to create an Ombuds position and eliminating the traditional "Student Rights Advisor." Administrators are considering the Ombuds program at McGill University and hope to have an office opened by the end of the current semester. A faculty representative said that the university had not followed appropriate channels in considering the proposed changes. (Gauntlet News.)

Prior post: University of Calgary Urged to Open Ombuds Office.

Faculty buy-in will be critical in creating an effective Ombuds program. Hopefully, faculty leaders (and all other stakeholders) will learn the value of an Ombuds.

British Panel Recommends Higher Education Ombuds Programs

The Improving Dispute Resolution Project, sponsored by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, has issued a 60-page draft report, titled “Taking a Fresh Look at Disputes in Higher Education.” The report examines how colleges and universities can prevent and respond to conflict involving students, faculties, and staffs. The panel found that most campuses have a fragmented approach to conflict resolution that make it “difficult to keep track of institution-wide patterns in the handling of disputes and improve practice.” The report specifically recommends the type of Ombuds programs found on American campuses:

A campus ombudsman or ombuds ‘office’ could help raise awareness throughout the institution, work with the community at all levels, tactful, respected, quietly inculcating habits of fairness and reasonableness, knowledgeable about all sorts of ground-rules, from the HEI’s legal obligations to its procedures, the way academic politics work, the things that matter to student. An ombudsman might be trusted enough to be approached at an early stage of a conflict, be able to make sensible suggestions about the quickest way to a resolution and get everyone involved to try them, propose mediation here, an apology there, or referral to a committee which can revise the existing procedures; he or she could suggest using the complaints or grievance procedures if there is no quicker way, but make sure they are followed properly.

(Taking a Fresh Look at Disputes in Higher Education; Chronicle of Higher Education.)

Related posts: University Ombuds Still Rare in UK Due to New Judicial Process; UK Researcher Advocates Legislative Support for Ombuds Programs; Britain's University Watchdog Calls for American-Style Ombuds.

Job Posting: Red Cross

The American Red Cross is seeking applications for an Associate Ombudsman. The position provides confidential and informal dispute resolution assistance to the American Red Cross community which includes employees, volunteers, service recipients, donors, suppliers, partners, and the general public. A bachelor’s degree is required preferably in counseling, conflict resolution or a related field. A Master’s degree and/or advanced training as a dispute resolution practitioner and/or mediator is highly preferred. Three years of experience in conflict resolution (Ombuds, mediator, facilitator or instructor) or a related field. Salary Range: Low $50’s to mid – $60’s. No closing date indicated. (Red Cross Jobs.)

Job Posting: National Institutes of Health

The Department Of Health And Human Services agency in Bethesda is accepting applications for an Associate Ombudsman. The position serves as a dispute resolution practitioner whose major function is to provide confidential and informal assistance, under the guidance of a senior Ombuds, to NIH managers and employees in resolving work related issues and disputes. Candidates must possess experience practicing as an Ombuds or working in an Ombuds office. The job pays $48,108-90,698 per year. The application period is only one week long and applications are due by Friday, October 3, 2008. (Federal Govt. Jobs; USA Jobs.)

University of Iowa Ombuds Issues Annual Report

For the second year in a row, the University of Iowa Office of the Ombudsperson found that disrespectful behavior is a leading concern on campus. According to its annual report for 2007-08, the number of cases the office handled that involved disrespectful behavior increased from 23 in 2006-07 to 52 in 2007-08. The increase is partly due to a change in the office's record-keeping system. (UI News Services.)

Related post: University of Iowa Ombuds Profiled.

Cal Caucus Calls for Nominations of Distinguished Ombuds

The California Caucus of College and University Ombuds is seeking nominations for its two awards honoring individuals who have distinguished themselves through outstanding and noteworthy contributions to the Ombuds field. Two awards are given at the annual conference in Asilomar: The Service Excellence Award recognizes significant leadership contributions to Cal Caucus; and The Pete Small Award is given to an “Ombud of the Year” for work within Cal Caucus and for advancing the field. Nominations are due by October 27, 2008. For additional information, contact Susan L. Neff at the University of Washington (ombuds[at_sign]u[dot]washington[dot]edu).

Related posts: Cal Caucus.