Utah Valley University Introduces Student Ombuds

The 24,000-student public college in Orem offers an Ombuds program to help students with any problem. The office is staffed currently by Ashley Robertson, a third-year UVU student who has worked in five different school departments. She reports that student issues frequently include harassment, housing problems, roommate disputes, student rights concerns, grading issues, and unfair teachers. There are no other Ombuds programs in the state. (UVU Review.)

Georgia Tech Consolidates Ombuds Offices

Georgia Institute of Technology has combined the three Ombuds Offices which previously served faculty, staff and graduate student separately. Under the new structure, the Ombuds office will report to the Institute president through the Office of the Provost. Engineering Professor Emeritus Narl Davidson and Physics Professor Emeritus Ed Thomas are the faculty ombuds; Engineering Professor William (Russ) Callen is the graduate student ombuds; and John Schultz is the classified staff ombuds. Renovations are under way to provide a centralized office. (The Whistle.)

Dartmouth Ombuds Interviewed on Public Radio

Vermont Public Radio profiled Dartmouth Ombuds Mary Childers as she signed copies of her book, Welfare Brat: A Memoir. According to the campus newspaper, "Unlike many high minded academics, Mary Childers is a true story of the American dream." (Vermont Public Radio; The Dartmouth Review.)

Related post: Interview With New Dartmouth Ombuds.

Westmont College Considering Ombuds to Assist Students After Wildfires

The small, private liberal arts campus near Santa Barbara was hit hard by the recent wildfires and lost several buildings. Westmont President Gayle Beebe said the college is developing an Ombuds program and in other ways working to “minimize damage on all fronts including the grading front.” Consideration will be given to students under timelines for projects, for example, or whose academic work was consumed by the fire. (Santa Barbara Independent; Westmont Announcement.) It appears the program will be temporary and the appointed Ombuds will serve as advocates for students.

Related post: California Fires Shutter Ombuds Offices.

Pepperdine Law School Revives Ombuds Course

After a hiatus of nearly three years, the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University is offering a two-unit course about Ombuds practice in Spring 2009. The class is being taught by Kathy Canul, director of the UCLA Ombuds Office. (Straus Class Schedule.)

Related posts: Pepperdine Opens Ombuds Office; UCLA Seeks Extern.

University of Iowa Endorses Ombuds Office After Faculty Suicide

A UI professor accused of sexual harassment apparently committed suicide Wednesday afternoon, prompting university officials to reiterate the availability of resources to avoid such incidents. UI spokesperson Steve Parrott said faculty accused of misconduct can go to the Office of the Ombudsperson and have confidential conversations to determine how to protect their reputation and resolve the problem. Coincidentally, the UI Ombuds Office made a presentation to the Graduate Student Senate the same afternoon as the professor's death. (The Maneater; GSS Minutes.)

Of course, the Ombuds' duty of confidentiality would preclude any admission that the professor had sought assistance from the Ombuds Office.

Related posts: University of Iowa Ombuds Issues Annual Report; Ombuds Prompts Changes at University of Iowa.

11/16/08 Update: Cynthia Joyce, the UI Ombuds, said concerns about harassment by a professor or about a faculty relationship are infrequent. "But to be fair they loom very large when they happen," she said. (Cedar Rapids Gazette.)

11/24/08 Update: In an editorial, Ann H. Franke, president of Wise Results, lawyer and consultant specializing in higher-education law, also recommends Ombuds as a resource for for those accused of harassment. (Chronicle of Higher Ed.)

List of Leading Dispute Resolution Processes Omits Ombuds

An article at Mediate.com provides brief descriptions of the most common dispute resolution processes:

• Arbitration
• Collaborative Practice
• Facilitation
• Mediation
• Parenting Coordination

(Mediate.com.)

Ombuds are notably absent from this list despite the fact that the website has featured several articles (by Michael Eisner, Rick Russell, Marsha Wagner, and Ethan Katsch), and even videos (by Howard Gadlin) about Ombuds. Ombuds are certainly as well established in the ADR firmament as collaborative practitioners and parenting coordinators. They really should have been included.

Study of Belgian Ombuds

Research in Belgium suggests that classical ombudsmen not only help citizens with individual concerns but also function as "change agents" and provide early warnings of problems in public administration. The study found that the role of ombudsmen in directly strengthening trust in government is limited at best. The findings also indicate that the socially disadvantaged are less likely to use the service. (The Relationship between Ombudsman, Government, and Citizens: A Survey Analysis.)

Survey Finds Rising Incidence of Paranoia

Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College have found that people in Britain and the United States evidence slowly rising rates of paranoia. Experts say people display a wide spectrum of paranoia, from the irrational fears many people have daily to dangerous delusions, and estimates of the affliction range widely, from 5 to 50 percent. British psychologist Daniel Freeman, author of a new book on the subject, said that in big cities, many ambiguous events can lead to paranoid thoughts because people constantly make snap judgments based on limited information. (MSNBC News; Paranoia: The 21st Century Fear.)

Ombuds everywhere are nodding knowingly.

Related post: Federal District Court Respects Role of Marquette University Ombuds.

Media Coalition Calls on Obama to Revive FOIA Ombuds Office

The Sunshine in Government Initiative, a coalition of media groups, is asking President-elect Barack Obama to take immediate steps to strengthen open government and counteract years of growing government secrecy. In particular, SGI urges the Obama administration to "create an independent, online ombudsman to help citizens access their government" by quickly implementing the Office of Government Information Services at the National Archives and Records Administration to mediate disclosure disputes. (SGI White Paper via National Journal's Congress Daily.)

Related posts: Bush Defunds FOIA Ombuds Program; NY Times Calls for Restoration of FOIA Ombuds; Federal FOIA Ombuds Office Remains in Limbo; Obama and the Future of the ADR Profession.

Federal Ombuds Meeting This Week

The Coalition of Federal Ombudsmen holds its next bi-monthly meeting on Wednesday, November 12. At its most recent annual meeting, CFO identified several issues for further discussion, especially Ombuds law and Ombuds position descriptions. (CFO Home.)

Related posts: Federal Ombuds Annual Conference on June 11, 2007; Perspective on Ethical Standards for Federal Mediators and Ombuds; Job Posting: DOD Office of Inspector General.

Update: Maine Library to Choose Ombuds

When the Patten Free Library fired a long-time children's librarian in September 2007, a controversy quickly erupted. Seven weeks of mediation sessions lead to an agreement that called for the library to hire an Ombuds for staff, among other provisions. The mediation committee will make a presentation Monday night at the annual business meeting of the library's corporators and recommend a three-year term for the Ombuds, who has yet to be named. (Maine Times Record; Patten Free Blog.)

Prior post: Local Maine Library Considers Ombuds to Quell Public Outcry Over Firing.

City of Flint Ombuds Shuttered by Budget Cuts

Brenda Purifoy, the Ombudsman for the Michigan City, said she has been forced to laying off her entire staff and defer pending cases because of budget cuts. The office investigates complaints of government wrongdoing pursuant to a city charter, had four employees in addition to Purifoy. City-wide budget cuts are currently the subject of pending litigation. Purifoy has asked the court to revisit the latest ruling on the city's budget that failed to address the Ombudsman's budget. "I'm just floored," Purifoy said. "It's been very difficult." Unless funding is restored, Purifoy herself will be out of work in March 2009. (Flint Journal; ABC12.)

Related post: California Decimates Long Term Care Ombuds Program.

Job Posting: FDA

The Food and Drug Administration is hiring an Ombuds. The position serves as a "dispute resolution practitioner whose major function is to provide confidential and informal assistance to managers and employees in resolving work-related issues and disputes." In addition, the FDA Ombuds serves as the initial and primary contact for FDA customers and oversees the work of third party neutrals. The position pays $115,317 to $149,000 per annum. Applications are due by November 18, 2008. (USAJobs; FederalGovernmentJobs.)

Related post: FDA CDER Ombuds Issues Annual Report.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Renames Student Ombuds Office

Because most students don't know the meaning of the word "Ombudsperson," UNL decided to rename the Office of Ombuds Services as the "Office for Student Assistance." Assistant vice chancellor and student Ombuds Tim Alvarez explained that, “The name ombudsperson just didn’t resonate with students.” According to Alvarez, the students simply found the term antiquated. The services provided by the newly renamed office are unchanged and remain confidential, impartial, independent, and informal. The webpage for the office has changed in name only. Meanwhile, the UNL Staff Ombuds office is keeping its name. (UNL Scarlet; UNL Office of Student Assistance; Archived UNL Ombuds Services; UNL Staff Ombuds.)

This development highlights a perennial problem for Organizational Ombuds: the name does not resonate with consumers. The "brand" is further diluted by the many variations on the word "Ombudsman," not to mention the differences with Classical Ombuds. If there was an easy solution, it surely would have been adopted. Until there is a clear consensus, Ombuds must be diligent about marketing their service.

Related post: UK Financial Ombudsman Service Debates Name Change.