An editorial in the Sunday edition of the daily student newspaper decried the mistreatment of an staff member because of his ethnicity. According to the opinion piece, Ravi Raj was subjected to racial slurs and anti-union threats. The editors were especially galled that Raj was unable find resolution through "official avenues for employees to voice complaints of discrimination," including the University Ombuds. Raj has pursued conflict resolution with management at HMDC, HR, and even the office of the University Ombudsman without success. When contacted, HR and the office of the Ombudsman declined to comment, citing employee confidentiality. While this may be simply their policy, someone needs to step in and speak up on Raj’s behalf. One of the mechanisms in place must be broken—if not the whole system—as it appears Raj’s case has been lost without resolution. Even if there is a reason that Raj’s superiors, HR and the office of the Ombudsman have not pursued his complaints, their official silence has not allowed for resolution of Raj’s unfortunate situation.
(Harvard Crimson.)The criticism of the Harvard Ombuds is unjustified and reflects a failure to appreciate the mandate of an Organizational Ombuds. The professional standards preclude Ombuds from revealing the identities of their visitors. The fact that the Ombuds would not discuss the case with a reporter is evidence only that the Ombuds was practicing ethically.
Related posts: FGCU Follow Up; New Ombuds at York University Defends Impartiality; Washington Post Conflates Ombuds Reporting Line With Neutrality.
The new Board of Certification for Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioners (CO-OP) held its inaugural meeting on September 21, 2009. This signaled the retirement of the IOA Certification Task Force and the launch of the new CO-OP Board of Directors. One of the first tasks that was completed was the election of the Officers of the new organization. They are:- Marsha Wagner, President
- Carolyn Noorbakhsh, Secretary
- Diane Dorion, Treasurer
The remaining Board members are David Brubaker as the Public Director, Jennifer [Wolf] Moumneh and Al Swenson.The CO-OP Board will be populating standing committees on Appeals, Eligibility, Finance, Nominating and Professional Practices. In addition, communications and marketing teams will also be established to keep members and the public informed about the Ombuds certification program. People interested in volunteering for the new organization should contact Marsha Wagner (wagner at-sign colombia dot edu) or Carolyn Noorbakhsh (carolyn dot noorbakhsh at-sign nrel dot gov).
Related post: IOA Announces First Step Toward Certification Program.
Lewis Redding has announced that the California Caucus of College and University Ombuds will not hold its annual meeting in Asilomar this fall. The hiatus is the first in more than 35 years of gatherings at the state conference facility at Pacific Grove, California. Redding is soliciting input for the 2010 caucus and anyone interested, especially California Ombuds, should contact him by October 21. (Click on image for details.)
Related post: New Website for California Caucus.
The 7,100-student public school in Maryland has formed an ad hoc committee to revise the Student Code of Conduct and implement a conflict resolution program. According to a student newspaper: “As an offshoot of the creation of the ad-hoc committee, staff will be assigned throughout the college, to become trained mediators (Ombudsman) on campus. The professionally trained staff will provide assistance when conflict, disputes, & disruptions occur.” Details have not been published. (BCCC Network.)
Jay Solman, the Ombuds at Simon Fraser University, will run one of the world's toughest endurance races in October. The Sahara Race starts October 25 and stretches over six-day and 156 miles. Solman has been preparing for the run while balancing family life and work as SFU’s Ombuds. His progress can be tracked live at Racing the Planet and supporters can donate to his team and read his blog at Trailwinders. (SFU News Online.)Related post: Simon Fraser University Names New Ombuds.
The ICANN Ombuds, Frank Fowlie, has published his annual report taking stock of the office and its involvement in conflicts. The report, which is published in six different languages, includes:- A summary of the 96 intakes and 31 complaints or requests for assistance received
- Recommendations on actions to be taken by the ICANN Board
- Details of outreach and training events
- Statement on respectful online communication
- A section on evaluation and recommendations against five Ombuds criteria
- Statistics on Ombuds activities for the 2008–2009 year
- Case studies and a description of how the Ombuds’ Office saves ICANN money and staff time by handling persistent complainants
- A review of the first five years of operations
(ICANN Announcements; ICANN Ombudsman Blog.)
There is not a a clear consensus regarding the usage of “Ombudsman” versus “Ombudsperson” versus “Ombuds” within the profession. In Canada, “Ombudsman” prevails. At US colleges and universities, “Ombudsperson” is common. IOA uses “Ombudsman” but has published examples of all three terms. The proponents of each label can explain and defend their rationale. Former ESPN ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber said that her decision was based in respect for the word's Swedish origins.It was my choice to be ombudsman because it's a Swedish word. It's gender neutral. The -man ending in Swedish doesn't mean man. It means human being. And Swedes are very proud of that word — I think it's the only word other than smorgasbord that made it from Swedish to English in a big way. So I didn't want to mess with their word: ombudsman.
(ESPN Radio via dl004d.)Related post: Linguist Finds Ombuds Usage Shifting Slowly.
Despite the fact that her office is closing at the end of September, UH Manoa Ombuds Susan Park has released a report covering the 2008-2009 academic year.
To say that 2008-09 was a challenging time for the University of Hawaii at Manoa, as well as for the country and the world, appears a study in euphemism. [...] The Office of the Ombuds did not escape the “challenge” of the times.
The UH Ombuds office handled 338 matters last year, half of which were from students. Notably, the number of cases involving interpersonal disputes continued a three-year trend upward for all UHM populations. The subcategory of incivility was the single highest reported concern brought to the UHM Ombuds Office by far.
Park closes her report with a plea for the Ombuds office to be reopened as soon as possible. “When times are tough and resources are in short supply, an ombuds is of even greater importance to the community,” she said. (UHM Annual Reports.)
Update 9/30/09: Kaleo (UHM Student Newspaper).
Related posts: University of Hawaii Touts Ombuds Office as Campus Safety Resource; Budget Cuts Force Closure of University of Hawaii Ombuds Office; University of Hawaii Chancellor Clarifies Decision to Shutter Ombuds Office.
Frank Fowlie, the Ombuds for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers will address the United States Ombudsman Association's annual conference next week in Colorado. In advance of that appearance, Fowlie has published his presentation on the current state of ODR. He explains that the field is still in its infancy but has the potential to grow significantly. At present, however, there is poor public awareness, no clear business model, no standards for practitioners, and no professional association. Fowlie asserts that there will be roles in the field for a variety of ADR practitioners, including Ombuds. (ICANN Ombudsman Blog.)Related posts: International Forum on Online Dispute Resolution; USOA 30th Annual Conference in Colorado.
Attorneys seeking a career change continue to migrate into the conflict resolution field. An article in the September issue of the Canadian Bar Association magazine, National, says that labor unions, hospitals, school associations, universities and government agencies all hire professionals with strong communication and dispute resolution skills. Ombuds are listed as one of the non-traditional jobs for lawyers. (CBA National.)
Cynthia Joyce, University Ombuds for UI, released a report covering the 2008-2009 academic year, the 23rd annual report for the office. The year has been marked by a flood, a highly publicized charge of sexual assault involving university athletes, two faculty suicides, and fears of furloughs, layoffs, and pay cuts. Joyce said that these difficulties were reflected in a 15% increase in visitors to the UI Ombuds office. On the positive side, there was a significant drop in in the number of undergraduates complaining about disciplinary issues, fewer conflict between graduate students and a decrease in faculty concerns about job conflicts. The report itself received significant media coverage. (UI Ombuds 2009 Report; Media Newswire; Iowa City Press-Citizen; Coralville Courier; Daily Iowan.)Related posts: University of Iowa Ombuds Profiled; University of Iowa Endorses Ombuds Office After Faculty Suicide; University of Iowa Hiring Faculty Ombuds.
Blogger and HR generalist, Lance Haun argues that human resources profession is in a precarious position because:- Most of HR’s value can be outsourced effectively, especially recruitment, employee relations and benefits);
- HR has unclear goals and ROI, which makes it a luxury for small to medium-sized companies;
- HR provides no input on business direction, as evidenced the the lack of C-level HR positions.
Haun suggests that a "New HR" model would keep critical functions. His list includes:- Workplace Process and Productivity Expert – Someone to look at workplace process and figure out all of the issues negatively impacting the productivity;
- Functional and Effective Internal Ombudsman - Someone who would be comfortable (and be given the authority) to call out management and employees on their detrimental actions and be compensated based on solving issues;
- Employee Life Cycle Manager – A guru on how to best integrate new people into an organization, develop careers internally and anticipate and plan exits for any number of reasons.
Haun invites fedback on this proposal. (HR Guru; Your HR Guy.)Related post: HR Professionals are Also Struggling to Define Effectiveness.
The public research university is hiring its first Ombuds. The jointly-funded position will serve as an independent, impartial and confidential resource for nearly 30,000 students and will make recommendations, where appropriate, for changes in University policies and procedures. Candidates must have a degree or diploma or ample experience in conflict resolution/management (a legal background will be considered an asset) and experience working in a university environment or with diverse groups of people. The position pays $67,600-$108,200 CDN per annum. (University of CalgaryCareer Search, Job ID 7869; Market Zones, Zone D.)Related posts: University of Calgary Urged to Open Ombuds Office; University of Calgary Considering Ombuds Program.
A recent Wikipedia article about the International Ombudsman Association is subject to deletion for insufficient authority. An anonymous author (“Darkness Into Light”) originated the article on August 20, 2009, based on information solely from IOA’s website. On September 18, a Wikipedia editor wrote that the article is being considered for deletion because of insufficient third party references. References to reliable third-party sources, especially academic and peer-reviewed publications and mainstream news organizations, are required of all Wikipedia articles. Without contributions that provide valid citations, Wikipedia administrators may depublish the article. IOA continues be be acknowledged in the Wikipedia articles about Ombudsmen and Organizational Ombudsmen. (Wikipedia: International Ombudsman Association; Ombudsman and Organizational Ombudsmen.)
UVA has implemented a new Alternative Dispute Resolution program for classified staff that includes a mediation program. The program allows university employees to mediate complaints before a formal grievance using one of eight different mediators. Previously, the University Ombuds, Brad Holland was responsible for providing mediation services and oversaw internal review. The changes are part of a reconfiguration of HR services prompted by Virginia’s Restructuring Act of 2005, which allowed the state’s public colleges and universities to have additional operating flexibility for financial and administrative matters. (Cavalier Daily.)
Starting with the fall 2009 issue, each edition of the monthly newsletter of the International Ombudsman Association will have a theme. The first theme is, “By the Numbers: Using Data to Support the Ombudsman Function.” Editors are soliciting articles and columns related to the theme, as well as the other information, updates and news. Other submissions are still encouraged.For many Ombuds, the end of the calendar year means it is time to compile an annual report, meet with a top administrator to discuss the past year’s work, or look ahead to future efforts to collect and present data to organizational leaders. Authors may want to submit articles on related topics such as:- How to collect and present data – client evaluation, metrics, cost-benefit analyses, statistics/trend-spotting
- Compiling annual reports – tips, techniques and best practices
- Using Ombuds databases – examples, new technologies
- Update on uniform reporting categories
- How to talk with top administrators about your office – what works, what doesn’t work
- Getting the administrators’ perspective – interview someone in your organization’s leadership about what they want and need in terms of data from an Ombuds office
Or suggest your own topic! Please send ideas to Samantha Levine-Finley (levinesa[at-sign]od[dot]nih[dot]gov) by September 25. The final deadline for submissions is October 30.
A recent newsletter from the global legal management consulting company suggests that it is time for law firms to consider Organizational Ombuds as a means of addressing internal discord. The newsletter, “Report to Legal Management,” is written for lawyer-managers in law firms and law departments, and provides provides cutting-edge management insight.In the July/August 2009 issue, Douglas B. Richardson writes that changes in law firm practice seem to be fostering greater internal discord. Large, often multinational, law firms have come to resemble corporations in terms of size, grown and geographic decentralization. “Many once-collegial firms have not only lost the ability to resolve interpersonal dispute, they have lost the ability to take the pulse of their own morale,” Richardson said. He concludes that Ombuds programs may be a remedy for law firms, as they have been for many corporations.The article features an extended discussion between Richardson and John Zinsser, who has served as an Ombuds and consultant for many corporations. Zinsser acknowledged that it would be a novel concept for law firms, which are comfortable with a legalistic and formal dispute resolution process, to accept the highly personalized and flexible Ombuds process. Nonetheless, he assured that Ombuds programs return economic and humanistic benefits for their organizations. Zinsser said that “a properly structured and executed ombudsman program could return more than $40 of value for every dollar invested.”This is a compelling article that explains why law firms should establish Ombuds programs. Unfortunately, a subscription is required to access it. (Report to Legal Management.)Related posts: DLA Piper Job Posting; Kaye Scholer Implements Ombuds Program; Study Concludes Large Law Firms Should Have Ombuds.
Justine Sentenne, the Corporate Ombuds for the government-owned public utility headquartered in Montreal, said that her office handled 130 cases last year. Although this was a substantial decrease from the 197 matters handled in 2007, Sentenne explained that such variation was common. The report presents historical and longitudinal data on visitors and includes recommendations for corporate action. Sentenne provides two unique types of data not seen often in other Ombuds annual reports: a breakdown of complainants by age and detail of the types of resolution (e.g., meditation, referral, intervention by others, etc.). (Hydro-Quebec Ombuds Reports.)Related post: FCO Selects New Board and Officers.
The deadline to submit proposals for the Fifth Annual International Ombudsman Association Conference, April 7-10, 2010 in New Orleans, is Friday, September 19, 2009. (IOA Conf. Submissions; IOA Conf. Details.)Related post: First Annual IOA Student Writing Competition.
An editorial in the Sunday edition of the daily student newspaper decried the mistreatment of an staff member because of his ethnicity. According to the opinion piece, Ravi Raj was subjected to racial slurs and anti-union threats. The editors were especially galled that Raj was unable find resolution through "official avenues for employees to voice complaints of discrimination," including the University Ombuds. 
