Video Introduces Virginia Tech's Grad Student Ombuds

Bryan Hanson, the Graduate School Ombudsperson for Virginia Tech, is featured in a new video posted by the university. His remarks are typical of the introductions many university Ombuds are giving to new students this month. (YouTube.)

Joomla Considers IOA Standards for Ombuds Program

The oversight board for the open-source content management system is looking at changes to its two-year old Executive Ombuds program. Minutes from recent board meetings reveal that directors are considering IOA standards for the Ombuds position, currently held by Jennifer Gress. 

Columbia Theological Seminary Names First Ombuds

The Presbyterian seminary in Decatur, Georgia has appointed Marcia Y. Riggs as its first Ombudsperson. In this new role, Riggs will serve all members of the Columbia community, a population of about 500. Riggs is a womanist theologian and recognized authority on the black woman’s club movement of the nineteenth century. 

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Selects Next Ombuds

Patricia Masalán has been appointed the next Ombuds for the leading Latin American university. She succeeds José Ignacio González, who established the program at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago in 2013. Masalán, an Associate Professor of Nursing, will serve as Ombuds for an initial three-year term. She said that she hopes to expand the role of the University Ombuds: "I want to spread the mission of the ombuds within the university, even more than what has already been done. And finally, perhaps something very ambitious, being proactive in anticipating problems before they arise, looking for actions to prevent them."

American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Creates Ombuds Program, Opens Search

The academic society for historical humanities research has adopted a new Policy on Harassment, which will lead to the appointment of an Ombuds for members and conference attendees. Although the policy does not outline the standards for the new Ombuds, the ASECS Executive Board is beginning the search for an External Ombuds.

Gettysburg College Unveils Ombuds Program

The private liberal arts college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania has appointed Kathryn Rhett as its first Ombuds. She will serve the college's 1,000 faculty and staff on a part-time basis. A charter dated December 7, 2019, provides that Rhett will practice to IOA standards. 

Forbes Coaches Council: Ombuds Give Voice to the "Silent Ones In Your Workforce"

An article contributed to Forbes this week, Mark Batson Baril argues that Ombuds are the only place for the 3% of employees who "believe they have nowhere to turn to resolve issues within their workplace." He reaches this conclusion based on IOA 2017's survey of "164 ombuds offices in the U.S. and Canada found that, on average, 3.2% of an organization’s population used the Office of the Ombuds." He also draws on IOA's data categories. Baril is a founding partner of Resologics, a firm that provides external Ombuds services.

CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security Names First Two Ombuds

The information security research institute (part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres) in Saarbrücken, Saarland, has appointed Cas Cremers and Andreas Zeller as its first Ombuds. Together, they will serve as "a confidential and independent resource for all CISPA members." (Currently, the center employs 218 people, but is expected soon to exceed 800.)

Villanova University Ombuds Posts First Annual Report

Meg Willoughby, who became the the first Faculty Ombudsperson for Villanova last summer, has issued her first annual report. Willoughby says that she handled 25 cases from August 2019 through June 2020. "All 21 cases that have reached a conclusion were resolved ;successfully, with 4 remaining in active status as of June 2020. The timeframe for resolution has ranged from 1 to 226 days, with an average length of 80 days."

IBIDELL Names Next Ombuds

On July 21, 2020, IDIBELL (Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge), appointed Anna Veiga Lluch as its next Ombudsperson. She takes over the post from F. Xavier Bosch, who established the role in 2015. Viega will serve over 1,000 employees of the biomedical research center in Barcelona. In a video, Viega introduces herself to the institute.

Daemen College Ombuds Serves Faculty

The private liberal arts college in Amherst, New York appointed William C. Barba as its first Faculty Ombudsperson in 2018. The initial one-year pilot program was later approved by the faculty senate. A website for the office went live last week. Barba reports to the Daemen's Vice President for Academic Affairs and practices to IOA standards. 

IOA to Resume Training with Online Version of Foundations in October 2020

For many years, the signature training course for new Ombuds has been “Foundations of Organizational Ombudsman Practice” offered by the International Ombudsman Association. (It was previously known as "Ombuds 101.") The three-day course was offered several times a year around the U.S. and occasionally internationally. Since the onset of the coronnavirus pandemic, all of the classes have been canceled. IOA has just announced the development of an online alternative consisting of shorter days over a full week starting in October. Specific details, including times, dates, instructors, and cost have not yet been released.

Job Posting: Ohlone College

The community college in Fremont, California has opened a search for a Director of Extended Opportunity Programs and Services & Ombudsperson. The position reports to the dean of student services and is responsible for the development and oversight of educational and support services to qualified low-income and educationally disadvantaged students. In addition, the position also serves as the campus Ombuds for 19,000 students. Debbie Trigg established the position in 2012 and left in 2018. Nancy Navarro currently holds the position on an interim basis.

Video Introduces Students to Ombuds at University of the Andes

In a new video posted to YouTube, Margarita Gómez Ordoñez, welcomes new students and explains her role as the Ombudsperson for Universidad de los Andes. Gómez Ordoñez established the office seven years ago and works with all members of the university community--students, faculty and staff--about academic, administrative or disciplinary concerns. (YouTube.)

IOA Posts Recommendations on Updated Title IX Regulations

The International Ombudsman Association has completed a careful review of the U.S. Department of Education's changes to its Title IX regulations, published on May 6, 2020. The Department's updated regulations, which give new of protections to people accused of sexual assault on college campuses, go into effect on August 14 and were laid out in a 2,000 page memo. The IOA Government and Policy Committee, chaired by Jessica Kuchta-Miller, analyzed the new regulations and developed a detailed memo that summarizes the changes and provides a thorough list of recommendations for Organizational Ombuds.

University of Pennsylvania Names 2020-2022 Ombuds

Jennifer A. Pinto-Martin, a Professor of Epidemiology and Director of the Master of Public Health Program, was appointed the University Ombuds, beginning on July 1, 2020 for a two-year term. She succeeds Lynn Hollen Lees and joins Associate Ombuds Marcia Martínez-Helfman in providing Ombuds services to over 40,000 faculty, staff, and students.

Update: Iowa State University Grad Student Senate Objects to Ombuds Office Changes

The ISU Graduate and Professional Student Senate voted unanimously in favor a a censure in response to announced changes in amid the changes to the Ombuds Office. Last week, ISU announced that the University Ombuds Officer was retiring and Ombuds services would be provided on an interim basis remotely by Boston-based dispute resolution firm MWI. 

Job Posting: UN Funds and Programmes, Senegal

The United Nations' global development network has opened a search for an Ombudsman Specialist based in Dakar. This is a new position and will assist in the oversight of all UNDP Ombuds operations in Africa. The position reports to the Deputy Ombudsman for UN Funds and Programmes and provides conflict managment services to staff members and non-staff personnel of the UN Funds and Programmes (including UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS and UN Women). Frequent travel to field offices in Africa is required.

Iowa State University Ombuds to Retire, MWI to Provide Interim Services

Deanna Clingan-Fischer, ISU's first full-time University Ombuds Officer, has announced that she will retire on August 6, 2020, after three years of service. In an announcement to the campus, the provost said that Ombuds services would be provided on an interim basis remotely by two Ombuds from MWI, a dispute resolution firm based in Boston: Dina Eisenberg and Chuck Doran. No end date for the arrangement was announced. (Inside IA State.)

Job Posting: Library of Congress

The national library of the U.S. is hiring an Equal Employment Specialist. The position serves as a "Counseling and Mediation Specialist ... coordinates work performed by contractors and serves as an ombudsman, negotiator, or conflict analyst as appropriate." This position is located in the Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs (EEO/DP), Office of the Librarian in Washington, DC.