Philosophy of Science Association Unveils Ombuds Program

The international academic organization focused on the philosophy of science has announced the creation of an Ombuds Office for its members. Joyce C. Havstad is PSA's Ombuds and Anya Plutynski is the Deputy Ombuds. They were in place for PSA's annual conference last week in Pittsburgh. According to a published Charter, the PSA Ombuds is structured and operates pursuant to IOA standards. (PSA Ombuds.) 

IOA to Fund New Ombuds Research

A new Research Grant Program from the International Ombuds Association will award funds for new research that investigates Organizational Ombuds. This is in addition to a separate initiative to new published research in the field. The window for grant proposals opened on November 3, 2022, and will continue until the fund are exhausted (a total amount which has not been announced). Grants will be awarded beginning in February 2023.

Job Posting: University of Minnesota

The Student Conflict Resolution Center at the University of Minnesota is accepting applications for an Ombudsperson. The full-time, hybrid remote (2-3 days per week in Minneapolis) position will report to the Director and University Ombud, finn j. schneider. The SCRC provides services to nearly 50,000 students, postdocs, and medical residents following IOA and ACCUO standards.

Retirement Marks Transition in Student Ombuds at VU Amsterdam

Lies Poesiat, who has been the Student Ombudsman at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for the past 15 years, has announced her retirement. Poesiat will wind down her duties and work one day a week as Staff Ombuds until May 2024. Poesiat's career was capped by a book published in English and Dutch (Ombuds Work in Higher Education / Ombudswerk in het hoger onderwijs),

UC Berkeley Staff Ombuds Adds an Associate

Shatika Ricketts has been hired as an Assistant Ombudsperson in the Staff Ombuds Office at Berkeley. She joins Director, Sara Thacker, and Associate Ombuds, Julia Horvath, and will provide conflict resolution and problem-solving services for non-senate university employees.

Ombuds Cases Rise Slightly at University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2022

Martha Patrick, CO-OP, the University Ombudsperson at UMass Amherst, reports that visitors to her office rose 1.8% in 2021-22 to 438. She notes that, although in-person appointments were available starting in August 2021, only 27 visitors opted to do so. Nearly 94% of visitors communicated by phone, video, and email. Patrick was assisted last year by Susan Pearson, part-time Consulting Ombudsperson, and Kristen Farrell, part-time office manager.

University of Minnesota Selects Next Ombuds

In June 2022, finn j. schneider was named the Director & Ombud of the Student Conflict Resolution Center for the large public university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. They follow Jan Morse, who retired from after 32 years in the role. schneider (who does not capitalize their name) leads a program that serves nearly 50,000 students, postdocs, and medical residents following IOA and ACCUO standards. The former Interim Director of the SCRC, Michael V. Huyen, has become the HR Director for the university.

Job Posting: Cornell University

The Ivy League university in Ithaca, New York, is hiring an Assistant Ombuds. The part-time position (0.80 FTE) will join the University Ombuds, Bruce Lewenstein, and Linda Falkson, the full-time Director of the office, and replace Tracey Brant, who recently moved to a fulltime position at Dartmouth College. The Cornell Ombuds Office serves faculty, staff, and students, a total population of about 32,000.

IOA Seeks Nominations for 2023 Board

The International Ombuds Association is accepting nominations for its Board of Directors. Five member-elected directors will serve a three-year term starting in April 2023. The five directors with terms expiring in 2023 are: Lee Twyman (current Treasurer); Hector Escalante; Sarah Klaper; Marcia Gee Riley CO-OP; and Diana Mosonyi. (IOA's Board President, Ronnie Thomson, will complete her elected board term in 2023, but will stay on another year as Immediate Past President.)

The Wildlife Society Names First Conference Ombuds

Jen Graf Sims will serve as the inaugural Conference Ombuds for the international non-profit association that promotes wildlife stewardship through science and education. In this contracted position, Sims will IOA-compliant services for attendees and TWS members during its Annual Conference in Spokane, Washington, November 6-10, 2022. Sims has more than a decade of Ombuds experience.

University of Michigan⁠—Ann Arbor Opens Internal Search for Faculty Ombuds

The Office of the Provost at Michigan is accepting applications for its Faculty Ombuds. The half-time appointment is open only to current faculty and is expected to last three years. Michele Hannoosh and Robert Ortega have both served in the role since 2018. In addition to serving 7,700 faculty members in Ann Arbor, the Faculty Ombuds are also expected to liaise with other Ombuds within the University of Michigan system. (UMich Provost Announcement.)

IOA Launches Awards for Ombuds Research

The International Ombuds Association has announced two annual awards to encourage and recognize research on the Organizational Ombuds profession. Award recipients will receive monetary awards of $250 and recognition at the IOA Annual Conference in April. The Professional Research Award will be given to a current IOA member for original, published research and up to three Student Research Awards may be given for original research conducted by undergraduate, Master's, and PhD students (IOA membership not required). 

Introducing the New Ombuds at Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Gary Coulton was appointed the first Faculty Ombudsperson for the Texas A&M University System's newest campus last summer. Coulton said that the pandemic significantly slowed the introduction of the new service. The Faculty Senate created the position in March 2021 "for the betterment of the faculty/staff relations with the university." Presently, Coulton is available for Ombuds consultations about four hours a week and he serves about 800 faculty and staff members. Meanwhile, he continues his full-time work as an associate professor of psychology. 

Ombuds Return for Association for the Study of Higher Education 2022 Conference

For the second year in a row, Dawn Osborne-Adams and Chuck Sloane will serve as Conference Ombuds for the Association for the Study of Higher Education. ASHE, the professional society of higher education research, will hold its 2022 conference November 16-19, in Las Vegas. Both bring significant academic Ombuds experience to the job: Osborne-Adams is the Ombuds at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Sloane is the Ombud at the University of Washington. (ASHE Ombuds.)

After Year of Transition, New Ombuds at University of Iowa Reports Growth in Cases

In her first annual report as the University Ombudsperson, Chanelle Reese said that the number of visitors to her office increased from 646 in 2020-21 to 661 last year. UI staff made up 46% of the total visitors. Nearly one in three visitors indicated that disrespectful behavior was a primary concern. Iowa's Office of the Ombudsperson, includes Faculty Ombuds, Meenakshi (Gigi) Durham.(Associate Ombuds, Jennifer Lynch and Associate Ombuds, Nadia Sabbagh Steinberg left the office within the past year).