Primary Role

1.) Help Faculty members explore issues, concerns, and conflicts; provide information and referrals; help resolve matters at the earliest and most informal level.

2.) Bring Systemic concerns to the University for review and resolution.

The Faculty Ombuds:

• Explores ways to resolve problems
• Provides issue and conflict coaching
• Provides referral to other University resources
• Provides systematic concerns to the University in a confidential manner

The Faculty Ombuds Office is committed to four principles

Confidentiality: The Ombuds holds information in strict confidence and does not disclose communication unless given permission by the faculty member.

Neutrality: The Ombuds remains unaligned and impartial and does not engage in any situation that could create conflict of interest.

Informality: As an informal recourse, the Ombuds does not participate in any formal process but is able to provide both formal and informal options to visitors. Visiting the Ombuds Office neither begins any formal process nor is it an office of notice for claims against the university.

Independence: The Ombuds is independent in structure, function, appearance, and does not report on cases to any administrator of the University except as aggregate data that protects the identity of any individual, group or department.

The Ombuds does not:

• Provide legal advice
• Provide counseling
• Provide direct mediation service
• Make or change University decisions, rules, or policies