How Ombuds Can Help
What does the Office do?
- Listens intently and discusses conflicts, disputes, concerns and complaints that students have about the functioning of the University, including its policies and procedures, the actions of others and unfair treatment
- Promotes the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills by helping students understand their rights and act on their own behalf in resolving conflicts
- Helps students evaluate and select among a variety of options to address their concerns
- Provides a safe and confidential setting where students feel respected and where they can be candid and forthright
- Answers questions or helps find others who can answer them
- Makes appropriate referrals for mediation, counseling, and dispute resolution services – assists in creating a helping network for students
- Coaches students on dispute resolution skills
- Advises students about informal and formal problem resolution possibilities
- Engages in shuttle diplomacy between parties finding it difficult to solve a problem between the two of them
- Identifies problem and conflict areas within the University and recommends improvements to the University leadership
What does the Ombuds office not do?
- Participate in formal grievance processes, hearings or judicial processes
- Make administrative or academic decisions for other parts of the University
- Determine
guilt
or innocence
of those accused of wrongdoing
- Assign sanctions
- Give legal advice
- Accept official
notice
for the University about issues. If someone wishes to put the University on notice
, that is, to make the University formally aware of a particular problem, we can provide information on how to do so – we also help people consider options that may or may not include formal complaints
- Keep official University files and records
- Respond to subpoenas or other requests for information because of the assertion of ombuds privilege