About the office

The Office of Ombuds Services provides an independent, impartial, and confidential space where faculty members, graduate and professional students, and postdoctoral scholars can discuss issues and receive informal counsel and advice.

The office is staffed by two ombuds, one dedicated to faculty and one for graduate and professional students. Both ombuds work with postdoctoral scholars. The ombuds help explore options and make decisions by gathering information and resources to aid in the process. They also assist in identifying and reframing issues. The ombuds help develop solutions and strategies to resolve conflict by thinking creatively and working with visitors to empower them with the tools to solve problems themselves. In some cases, the ombuds might informally mediate and facilitate communication among the parties involved.

While the ombuds do not take sides in a conflict, they report to university officials any trends emerging from the issues brought to them by faculty, graduate and professional students, and postdocs. They can recommend improvements to policies and procedures and identify persistent sources of conflict.