Department of Energy Adds an Ombuds

The U.S. Department of Energy welcomed a new Associate Ombudsman, Chris Vermillion. He joins Jeff Anderson and Lexi Wolfe, and reports to Director Tonya Mackey. Prior to joining DOE, Vermillion served as an Ombudsman Specialist with the Transportation Security Administration since January of 2019. Prior to that, he served as an Assistant Ombudsperson and then Co-Director of the Ombuds Office at Georgia State University. 

Department of Surgery at Northwestern Medical School to Name Ombuds

The Department of Surgery at the Feinberg School of Medicine has opened a search for its own internal Ombudsperson. The new position will serve surgical residents and supplement, but not replace, the existing Ombuds for the School of Medicine (Lisa Rone and Ike Okwuosa). Only faculty are eligible for the part-time appointment, which will last two to three years and include a $10,000 stipend. The move to create a dedicated Ombuds for the department was prompted by recent surveys revealing persistent mistreatment of trainees. (Dept Surg Position Description.)

Job Posting: Inter-American Development Bank

The Latin American development bank is hiring a Conflict Resolution Lead Specialist for it's headquarters in Washington, DC. Reporting to the Bank's Ombudsperson, Marta I. Abello, the position will for provide employee conflict resolution services (including confidential consultations, coaching, mediations, and training and outreach activities), as well as working on matters of office administration and initiatives. The position is contracted for three years.

Boeing to Create Ombuds Program as Part of Settlement in 737 MAX Lawsuit

Last week, shareholders reached a settlement in a derivative lawsuit against the American multinational aerospace corporation related to the unsafe 737 MAX aircraft. In addition to paying about $225 million, Boeing agreed to a number of remedial measures including the appointment of an Ombuds to provide a channel for employees to raise work-related concerns. The settlement approved by the Delaware Court of Chancery, explicitly requires the new Boeing Ombuds to follow IOA standards and be in place for five years. 

Job Posting: Colorado State University

The public land-grant university in Fort Collins is hiring an Associate Director of Conflict Resolution. The position oversees conflict resolution programs for 33,000 students, including conflict prevention, education, coaching, problem solving, mediation, facilitation, and restorative justice. Many of these services are voluntary, neutral, confidential, and informal. The university has separate Ombuds programs for faculty and staff.

Job Re-Posting: University of North Carolina at Greensboro

The public research university in central North Carolina has re-issued its call for for proposals for an individual or company to serve as its Ombudsman. An earlier search ended in September and there is no information regarding why UNCG is seeking additional submissions. The RFP marks the culmination of years of advocacy by faculty and other stakeholders at UNC Greensboro for an Ombuds program. The initial contract will be for one year and may be extended. The UNCG Ombuds will report to the Office of the Provost and provide services to nearly 25,000 faculty, staff, and students. 

Job Posting: University of California Merced

The UC campus in Central California is hiring a new Ombudsperson and Director. The search will fill a position vacated by Callale Concon, who led the office since 2016 and recently moved to the UC Office of the President. Together with Assistant Ombudsperson Chanelle Reese, the UC Merced Campus Ombuds provide services to students, staff, and faculty at a rapidly-growing university.

Job Posting: Iowa State University

ISU is seeking a full-time permanent Ombuds starting in January 2022. Iowa State's Ombuds Office was established in 2008 and practices to IOA standards. Reporting to the Office of the Senior Vice President & Provost and the Ombuds provides information and support to over 9,000 faculty, professional and scientific and merit staff (excluding the campus's Department of Public Safety AFSCME-covered staff), postdocs, and graduate and professional students.

Dartmouth College to Resume Some Ombuds Services

The Dartmouth is reporting that the campus will restore the Ombuds office after a hiatus of four years. Despite advocacy by students, the reinstated Ombuds office will not serve undergraduates. According to several sources, the College soon will begin nationwide search for a full-time ombudsperson that will serve graduate students, postdocs, faculty and staff. (The Dartmouth.)

Association for the Study of Higher Education Selects Two Ombuds

Later this week, Dawn Osborne-Adams (Ombuds at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) and Chuck Sloane (Ombud at the University of Washington) will be serving as Conference Ombuds at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) annual conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Student Union Reboots Ombuds Program at MacEwan University

The Students’ Association of MacEwan University has launched its own Ombuds program. The campus has been without an Ombuds office since April 2020, when the public undergraduate university in Edmonton, Alberta, abruptly closed its Ombuds office. Cathryn Heslep had founded the MacEwan Student Ombudsperson position four years earlier. The new Student Ombud Support "offers an impartial, confidential and supportive space for students who are facing academic or non-academic issues" and is staffed by student volunteers. (SAMU MacEwan Today.)

Job Posting (RFP): National Lawyers Guild

The progressive public interest association of legal activists is seeking an experienced independent contractor to serve as its first Ombudsperson. The new role will "assist the organization with managing complaints and conflict arising in work and membership spaces [as] an independent and impartial voice in internal dispute resolution." NLG intends to award a contract for a six-month trial term beginning during or after January 2022, with an option to renew and/or renegotiate terms based on fit and efficacy. The Ombudsperson shall report to NLG's Executive Director. Proposals are due by December 10, 2021. (NLG Posting.)

Internship: Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy is offering a virtual student internship with its Office of the Ombudsman. The program is designed to provide students enrolled in Marketing and Communications or similar majors to perform a wide variety of duties marking the Ombuds’ 10-year anniversary marketing campaign. Duties will include: project management; developing written communications; and providing graphic design and layout support, including multimedia and website design. (Via Berea College Career Development.)

Canadian Improv Games Appoints First Ombuds

CIG, the national charity "dedicated to enriching the lives of youth through improvisational theatre program," has named Andrew Shaver as its first Ombudsperson. Shaver serves as an impartial and embedded third party available to anyone who has questions or concerns related to their involvement with the Canadian Improv Games. His work is promoted as a safe and confidential way to get support with a difficult situation or challenging conversation. It is not clear whether CIG has adopted any particular standards for the new Ombuds. Shaver is a former board member and is volunteering for the Ombuds position. (CIG Team.)

Southern Illinois University Carbondale to Restore Faculty Ombuds Program

SUIC has opened a search for a Ombudsperson for faculty and instructors, marking the potential resumption of a service that was discontinued a decade ago. SUIC had a university-wide Ombuds program for decades, but that was shut down in 2012 at about the same time the university defended student lawsuit related to case handled by the Ombuds, Lynn Connley. The campus had no Ombuds for the next five years. In 2017, the university created a Student