When to See the Ombuds

The Ombuds supplements but does not replace formal, investigative or appeals processes made available by the University.  

Below are examples of reasons you might visit the Ombuds.  You may visit the office with any type of concern. 

  • An employee feels singled out by a supervisor and wants to address this relationship.
  • A student has concerns about unfair treatment from faculty members or other students, or a situation that impacts their learning.
  • An academic team member experiences lack of respect or recognition for his/her contribution, including authorship issues, team-developed products, or input to the work environment.
  • A manager and an employee have different expectations regarding meeting the requirements of the job.
  • A work team experiences significant staffing changes due to budget cuts or reorganization and wants help restoring a culture of trust and good morale.
  • Workplace bullying is occurring and the visitor wants help addressing the situation and perhaps bringing the topic to the group. 
  • A faculty member wants to prepare trainees to be leaders with effective conflict competence skills.
  • You or a colleague are being sexually harassed. 
  • You are seeking an understanding of workplace culture.
  • You may be experiencing discrimination and you want to talk it over informally before reporting.