Gallaudet University Suspends Ombuds Office

Gallaudet University has suspended the work of its Ombuds Office, with a promise to restore the service in the fall of 2026. The move was apparently promoted by a budget crises as the new presidential administration slashed spending on the federally chartered university. (Federal funding makes up nearly two-thirds of Gallaudet operating budget.) Here is the text of an announcement from Gallaudet's President to the campus:

Ombuds for ISED Canada Shares 2023 Annual Report, Announces Successor

The Office of the Ombud for Mental Health and Employee Well-Being for Innovation, Science and Economic Development has released its 2022–2023 Annual Report. Acting Ombuds Eve Nadeau reported that 56 visitors came to the office over the year and virtually all reported high levels of satisfaction with the services in follow-up surveys. In her summary, Nadeau emphasized the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace, particularly as employees navigated the transition to hybrid work. 

ADR.gov Website Vanishes Along with All COFO Content

The website for the Interagency ADR Working Group was taken offline around midnight on February 21, 2025. A presidential memorandum in 1988 established the multiagency organization to assist federal agencies develop and implement ADR programs. Among other things, the site hosted information for the Coalition of Federal Ombuds. Fortunately, the entire ADR.gov site, including COFO materials, are preserved the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. (ADR.gov via Internet Archive.) 

Job Posting: University of California Davis

The UC Davis Ombuds Office is hiring an Associate Ombuds based at UC Davis Health in Sacramento with some hybrid, from-home possibilities. The position reports to Director, Lauren Bloom, CO-OP, and joins Lindsey Ensor, Senior Associate Ombuds, CO-OP, Jenny Vaccari, Associate Ombuds, CO-OP, and Katie Ranney, Assistant Ombuds. 

University of Toronto Selects Next Ombuds

Faye Mishna, will become uToronto’s next University Ombudsperson, starting a three-year term beginning July 1, 2025. Mishna is a Professor of Social Work and an expert on bullying, cyberbullying and the use of new technologies in the field of social work. She follows Bruce Kidd, who has served in the role since 2021. As the Ombuds, Mishna will head an office that operates across all three campuses and serves students, staff, faculty, librarians, and alumni. The Ombuds reports to the university's Governing Council. 

International Political Science Association Names First Conference Ombuds

Francesca Longo and Min Hee Go have been appointed as Ombudspersons for the 2025 IPSA World Congress. In this new role, they will provide Organizational Ombuds to members and attendees before and during the conference in Seoul on July 12-16, 2025. According to IPSA, the new Ombuds are part of an effort to support IPSA’s Anti-Harassment Policy. They will be "receiving and addressing complaints, issuing notices for policy violations, conducting confidential investigations with input from all parties involved, and recommending resolutions to the IPSA Executive Committee."

Job Posting: University of Western Ontario

The public research university in London, Ontario has opened a search for its next Ombudsperson. The position heads an office that operates under an agreement between the university and several student organizations. The position was vacated by the former Acting Ombudsperson, Whitney Barrett, and will join the Associate Ombuds, Stephanie Bolingbroke.

Job Posting: University of Rochester

The private research university in Upstate New York seeks its next University Ombuds. The search will fill a position established by Lynnett Van Slyke in 2022. The Ombuds serves all campus stakeholders and practices to IOA standards. The position reports as part of the Provost's Office and also coordinates an Ombuds Affiliate Network (see below).

Job Posting: SOS Children's Villages, Togo

The Austria-based international development organization is hiring a National Ombuds to be based in the capital city of Lomé. The position will to report to the Regional Ombuds, Sambieni Bienvenu. The initial appointment will last one year, with a possible extension.

Toronto Metropolitan University Chooses New Ombuds

Jessica Shabtai has appointed as new Ombudsperson for Students at TMU. She follows former Acting Ombudsperson, Gemma Kerr (who has moved to Ombudsman Toronto), and joins Assistant Ombuds Jemmy Erhiaganoma and Edmun Natkunarajah. Shabtai will lead and office that serves 48,000 enrolled students, plus applicants and former students, following ACCUO and FCO standards of practice.

Internship: SAP, Germany

The Global Ombuds Office for the German multinational software corporation is seeking a intern. The paid internship is focused communications projects, but the tasks will be varied and include independent and collaborative projects. After an initial six-month internship, the position may transition to a student employee. The SAP Ombuds office is based at SAP's headquarters in Walldorf, but the internship alternately could be located could somewhere else in Europe, Middle East, or Africa. Up to 10% travel may be required.

Job Re-Posting: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The private research university in Cambridge has reposted its search Ombudsperson across multiple job sites. The search will fill a position recently vacated by Nick Diehl. The position works as a team with the other MIT Ombuds, Judi Segall. Reporting to the President, the two MIT Ombuds serve as a resource for all members of the diverse MIT community, including faculty, staff, postdocs, and students — a total population of nearly 35,000.  

CPR Institute Ombuds Webinar is Aimed at Corporate Counsel

On March 5, 2025, the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution will offer a webinar, "The Organizational Ombuds - What Corporate Counsel Might Want to Consider." Speakers are slated to include: Chuck Howard, Ombuds Consultant; Robyn Diaz, Senior VP & Chief Legal Officer at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (which created an outsourced Ombuds program in 2023; and Chuck Doran, Ombuds and Executive Director of MWI. 

IOA Foundations In-Person Training Offered at 2025 Conference

This year, the International Ombuds Association's signature, training course will be offered in-person only once. Foundations will be offered immediately before IOA's 20th Annual Conference in Miami, Florida, on 4-6 April 2025. Registration is now open.

Coastal Carolina University Names Ombuds for Faculty and Staff

After an extended search, the public university near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has appointed Tina L. Cloud as its next Faculty and Staff Ombuds. She follows Renee Smith in the part-time position that reports to CCU's President and practices to IOA standards.

DHS Policy Manual Explains Role of Office of Intelligence and Analysis Ombuds

The Office of Intelligence and Analysis is the civilian national intelligence service for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Within the last two years, I&A became one of several U.S. intelligence agencies with an Organizational Ombuds program for its workforce, with two, fulltime Ombuds. Like many Ombuds in security agencies, their identities are not public. A newly released, unclassified policy manual details how the Ombuds office operates. [Read it before it disappears.] 

UN Reaffirms Support for Ombuds Institutions, Excludes Organizational Ombuds Again

In December 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 79/177, emphasizing the role of Ombudsman and mediator institutions in promoting human rights, good governance, and the rule of law. The resolution is strikingly similar to another resolution adopted in 2020. Both notably omitted any mention of Organizational Ombuds or the International Ombuds Association.

IOA Opens Election for 2025 Board of Directors

Members of the International Ombuds Association have begun voting for the next slate of IOA's Board of Directors. Seven candidates are running for five open seats with four current directors running for a second term and three new candidates on the ballot. All elected candidates will begin their service following the IOA Annual Meeting on 16 April 2025.

Job Posting: UN Funds and Programmes

The Ombuds Office for the United Nations' global development network is seeking multiple Conflict Resolution Consultants. The fixed-term, part-time, full-report positions will serve an initial one-year contract. Some travel to UNDP field offices is required. The positions report to the UNDP Ombudsman Patrick Voigt. 

Call for Participants in Ombuds Research

A student at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Houda Ismaili, is conducting an anonymous survey of ombuds visitors in different organizations. The research is being supervised by two professors, Laura Armstrong and Brent Epperson. Ismaili aims to study the experiences of minority and non-minority visitors who have received Ombud services and all responses are confidential. More information and a link that can be shared with visitors: EASE Study.