Job Posting(s): Harvard University

The private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts is hiring two full-time Ombuds. The search will reopen and expand the Ombuds Office headed by Lydia Cummings for 17 years before her retirement in January 2020. Harvard will hire an Ombuds I, a more junior position, and Ombuds II, who will supervise the Ombuds I and an administrative staff person. Together the two Ombuds will provide services to faculty, staff, students, trainees, and appointees for all of the Harvard-affiliated institutions with the exception of the schools of medicine, dentistry, and public health.

Job Posting: U.S. Department of Energy

The department responsible for U.S. energy and nuclear safety policies is hiring an Associate Ombudsman. The Associate Ombudsman will report to Director Tonya Mackey and collaborate with two experienced Ombuds: Lexi Wolfe and Jeff Anderson. The job is based in Washington, DC and may be eligible for telework. Occasional travel is required. 

Job Posting: Pinterest

The social media company is hiring its first Head of Ombuds. Pinterest would be the second major tech company to create an Ombuds program. Although the company is based in San Francisco, the position may work remotely. The Ombuds is expected to serve as a resource for Pinterest's 2,500 employees around the world. In December 2020, a Special Committee of the Pinterest Board reviewed the workplace culture and recommended several changes to improve workplace culture, including the creation of an Ombuds office.

Ombuds Will Restart Program at Sandia National Labs

Ronnie Thompson has been selected as the Corporate Ombudsman for the federal nuclear lab in New Mexico. She will restart an Ombuds program that was shuttered in 2018 shortly after Honeywell International took over management of the lab. Thompson was an Ombuds at Halliburton from 2013 to 2020, when that program was shut down. At Sandia, she will set up and manage a program following IOA standards and report to the Executive Chief of Staff. Thompson is in her second term on the IOA Board of Directors.

IOA Asks Members to Approve Omnibus Revision of Bylaws

Earlier this year an International Ombudsman Association task force on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging raised concerns about the process for selecting board members. The IOA Board quickly postponed the pending board election and commissioned an independent review, which recommended changes to the nominations process and board eligibility to encourage a more diverse pool of candidates.

The IOA board is now asking its members to approve bylaws changes that incorporate these revisions to the board election process along with a collection of other governance changes. Several of these proposals will undo changes to the bylaws that IOA members approved just five years ago.

(Guest Post) Howard Gadlin Comments on the Proposed Bylaws

The following commentary was submitted by Howard Gadlin, IOA Distinguished Emeritus and former Ombuds at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, LA County Museum of Art, UCLA, and the National Institutes of Health. He has also served as Chair of the Coalition of Federal Ombudsmen, Chair of the Federal Inter-agency Alternative Dispute Resolution Working Group Steering Committee, and Past President of the University and College Ombuds Association and of The Ombudsman Association.

(Guest Post) Nick Diehl Comments on the Proposed Bylaws

The following commentary was submitted by Nicholas Diehl, CO-OP, Ombuds at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and former Ombuds at Asian Development Bank, American Red Cross, National Institutes of Health, and Princeton University. He is also a Past President of the International Ombudsman Association and a regular instructor for IOA's "Foundations" training course.

Job Posting: Ryerson University

The public research university in Toronto, Ontario has opened a search for its next Ombudsperson. The position leads a well-established office that serves 24,000 students. The position has been held by Kwame Addo for the past two years. He will be returning to municipal work as the Ombudsman for the City of Toronto. Other members of the office are Assistant Ombudspersons Ayesha Adam and Gemma Kerr.

Job Posting (RFP): Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind

The state agency that operates three center schools and five regional cooperatives for its first Ombudsman. The independent contractor will "serve as an advocate for fairness, source of support and information and acts as liaisons between conflicting parties." The ASDB Ombuds will primarily serve the agency's employees. According to the posting on the IOA Job Board the position has some non-neutral responsibilities.

University of Maryland Opens Search for Next Faculty Ombuds

The public research university in College Park, Maryland, is seeking its next Faculty Ombuds Officer—a half-time position. The search will fill a position held by Ellin K. Scholnick since September 2010. The Faculty Ombuds "serves as a neutral and impartial officer to provide confidential and informal assistance to faculty and administrators in resolving concerns related to their work... [serving] as a counselor, fact-finder, mediator, and negotiator, but not as an advocate for any party to a dispute." (UMD Faculty Affairs.)

Association for Conflict Resolution to Appoint First Ombuds

The professional organization that promotes the practice and public understanding of conflict resolution will appoint its first Ombuds. The new role will serve ACR members for an initial two-year term and practice to IOA standards. The Ombuds may be an ACR member, but will hold no other position within the organization. An Ombuds Policy has been an adopted and further details about the appointment of the first ACR Ombuds are pending. (ACR Ombuds Policy.)

IOA Training for Creating an Ombuds Office

The International Ombudsman Association's online training program, "The Nuts & Bolts of Setting Up an Ombuds Office," returns on November 9 and 11, 2021 The five-hour course is designed to complement IOA's "Foundations" course and will help new Ombuds who are setting up a new office. The course has increased from four hours when it was initially offered in 2020.

University of Amsterdam Names First Permanent Ombuds

In November 2021, Samera Ouchene will start a four-year term as the first permanent Ombuds at Universiteit van Amsterdam, one of the Netherlands' leading universities. Student, staff, and faculty, groups participated in the search process and unanimously endorsed Ouchene. The president of UvA's Executive Board said: "We are convinced that the experience Samera has gained over the course of her career will contribute to strengthening the inclusiveness and social safety of our university." Ouchene succeeds Jacqueline Schoone, who has been the Interim Ombuds for two years. 

Jane Austen Society of North America Plans for Ombuds

The nonprofit association dedicated to the appreciation of the English novelist has promised to create an Ombuds for its members. JASNA adopted Community Guidelines in February 2021 to improve diversity and discourage intimidating behaviors at all of its regional and national events. These guidelines also state that, "JASNA has created the new position of Ombudsperson to handle concerns of this nature." Further details, including the structure of the program or appointment of an Ombuds, have not been announced. (JASNA Community Guidelines.)

Webinar for Ombuds: Case Management and Data Security

Clare Fowler and Colin Rule of Mediate.com, and experienced guest Ombuds will discuss concerns and safeguards for keeping visitor data online in a webinar on July 14, 2021 at 2-2:30 pm EDT. Fowler has an article, "Designing Online Dispute Resolution Information Systems Effectively," which is recommended pre-reading. (Mediate.com.) The webinar is free and open to the public, and pre-registration is not required: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6492416033.