FCO Training Will Feature a Wide Range of Ombuds Practices

The Forum of Canadian Ombudsman has published the agenda for its first course on Ombuds fundamentals September 20 and 21, 2010. The two-day program for new and intermediate-level Classical Ombuds staff and complaint-handlers will feature nearly two dozen Canadian Ombuds. Many topics will be relevant to the practice of Ombuds in other fields.

Day One

• Welcome - Ian Darling, FCO President
• Introduction to Ombuds Theory and Practice - Suzanne Belson, DND/CF; Nora Farrell, Ryerson University
• Intake: Common Practices and Challenges - Fiona Crean, City of Toronto
• Effective Intake Practices - Anna Martins, Fair Practices Commission of the WSIB; Shelley Lancaster, McMaster University; Marlene Chumak, Scotia Bank; Laura Bradbury, Fair Practices Commission of the WSIB
• Informal Resolution Techniques - Rosie Dear, Ombudsman Ontario; Garvin De Four, University of Toronto; Ian Darling, Tarion Warranty Corp.; Mary Ward, Baycrest
• Report on Effectiveness of Various Approaches - Bradley Moss, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Introduction to Investigative Approaches - Kwame Addo, City of Toronto; Tom Irvine, Fair Practices Commission of the WSIB

Day Two

• Investigative Approaches and Techniques - Suzanne Belson, DND/CF
• Getting Started - Howard Sapers, Correctional Investigator
• Evidence Gathering - Elizabeth Weston, Ombudsman Ontario; Hervé Depow, Algonquin College; Nora Farrell, Ryerson University
• Small Group Work - Rose Stanton, BC Ombudsperson Office
• Making Recommendations and Follow-up - Kevin Fenwick, Saskatchewan Ombudsman; Bradley Moss, Newfoundland and Labrador
• Reporting Back to the Complainant and Organization - Linda Carlson, BC Ombudsperson Office; Tom Goodbody, Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments; Kevin Fenwick, Saskatchewan Ombudsman
• Challenges and Issues - Suzanne Belson, DND/CF Ombudsman Office; Laura Bradbury, Fair Practices Commission of the WSIB; Nora Farrell, Ryerson University

The deadline to reserve a hotel room is August 19. (FCO Ombuds Fundamentals Registration and Agenda.)

Prior post: FCO Institute to Offer First Ombuds Training in September.

Ryerson Ombuds Blames Professors for Rising Misconduct Charges

A report issued by Ryerson University’s Ombudsperson, Nora Farrell, says professors’ mistakes are responsible for the mounting number of academic misconduct charges. Over the past year, Farrell's office has seen a 54% increase in the number of visitors charged with academic wrongdoing. “It is troubling that 30 per cent of the complaints ... were solely because of a procedural error with respect to how the charge was laid or the matter was adjudicated,” said Farrell. Diane Schulman, secretary of Ryerson Faculty Senate, said she doesn’t believe the ombuds’ numbers represent “a whole lot of students.” (The Eyeopener; Annual Report.)

Ryerson University Ombuds Reports Spike in Academic Concerns

In her report covering the 2008-09 academic year, Nora Farrell said that concerns about academic advice rose 12% from the prior year. The Ombuds for students at Ryerson handled 586 matters and more than half involved academic issues. Farrell also saw marked decreases in cases involving admissions and curriculum advising. The published report also includes a response from the Provost and Vice President-Academic, and Vice President-Adminintration and Finance regarding the Ombuds' recommendations. (Ryerson Ombuds 2008-09 Report; Ryerson Eyeopener.)

Related posts: Ryerson Ombuds Blames Professors for Rising Misconduct Charges; FCO Selects New Board and Officers.

Ryerson University Ombuds Explains Slight Decline in Cases

In her annual report covering the 2009-10 academic year, Ryerson University Ombudsperson Nora Farrell said that the number of cases from the student body of 33,000 fell to 579. The total was down from 586 in the prior year and 606 in 2006-07.

 Farrell acknowledged that it’s difficult to explain the variation, but speculated that the decrease is related to the university's efforts to become transparent about processes and more focus on early problem resolution. At the same time, complaints to the Ombuds about instructor conduct increased significantly over the past two years. The Assistant Ombudsperson at Ryerson is Ayesha Adam. (Ryerson Ombuds 2009-10 Report.)

Related posts: Ryerson University Ombuds Reports Spike in Academic Concerns; FCO Training Will Feature a Wide Range of Ombuds Practices

IOA Elects Six to Board in 2012

The International Ombudsman Association has announced the results of its recent board election. The following individuals who have been elected to serve three-year term as Directors starting on April 14, 2012: Ilene Butensky, Doris Campos-Infantino, Isabel Calderon, Indumati Sen, and Ted Williamson. In addition, Nora Farrell, was elected to a two-year term as Associate Member Representative.

Prior post: Election Opens for 2012 IOA Board of Directors.

ENOHE Publishes Proceedings of Joint Conference with ACCUO

In May 2010, the European Network of Ombudsmen in Higher Education and the Association of Canadian College and University Ombuds held a joint conference in Vienna. The proceedings from the conference, "Common Objectives, Different Pathways: Embedding Ombudsman Principles and Practices into Higher Education Institutions" are now available online.

The contents include:

• Martine Conway, Josef Leidenfrost: Vienna through the Rearview Mirror
• Welcome by Beatrix Karl, Austrian Minister for Science and Research: Ombudsmen as
• Important Elements
• Workshop A – Mediation: Learning by Doing: Jenna Brown, Mike Reddy, Jim Wohl
• Workshop B – Things I wish I had known when I started as an Ombudsman: Clifford Picton, Tim Birtwistle
• Workshop C – Challenges to Impartiality: Nora Farrell
• Workshop D – Core Curriculum for Development of Scientific Integrity: Lessons to be Learned for Higher Education Ombudsmen: Gerlinde Sponholz, Helga Nolte
• Tim Birtwistle: The Importance of the Use of Language, Terms and Titles in Higher Education Life, for Faculty and Students
• Wolfgang Weigel: Conflict Management Revisited: Remarks and Observations on the Status of the University Ombudsman
• Ram Gidoomal: Independence and Governance: (In)compatible?
• Natalie Sharpe: Online Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment – Revising a University Protocol
• Christian Sjöstrand: Complaint Management, Students’ Rights and the Principle of Public Access to Official Documents: Experiences from Sweden
• Gundi Gadesmann: Problem solving in the EU – The European Ombudsman
• Christian Pichler-Stainern: Quality Management and ISO Standards within the Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (OeAD-GmbH)
• Karl Andrew Müllner: Establishing an Ombudsman for the Lifelong Learning Programme in Austria – Challenges and First Experiences
• Pilar Abad-Garcia: Building Bridges: University Ombudsmen and University Cooperation in the post Bologna European Higher Education Area
• Andrea Blaettler: ESU and its Perspective on Student rights and ombudsmen in Higher Education
• Luis Adolfo Veliz Cornejo: How to Create an Ombuds Organism at the Pontifical Catholic University of Perú?
• Jure Marinovic: An Overview of the Student Ombudsman at the University of Zagreb
• Lara Leoncio Sáenz: Latin American University Ombudsmen – Building Better Environments and Fostering Social Change
• Robert Behrens: The Pathway Project: An Ombudsman’s Roadmap for the Next Five Years
• Sandro Vicini: Dealing with Systemic Issues: Strategies for Solutions in the University Context
• Monika Petermandl: Small and Beautiful – How Austrian Universities of Applied Sciences are Dealing with Student Complaints: The Example of the FHWien – Studiengänge der WKW
• Doris Kiendl-Wendner: The Powers and Tasks of the Ombudsman in Institutions of Higher Education 
• Ray Morley: Higher Education Ombudsman and Diversity Issues – Considering the Australian Point of View
• Cathryn Heslep: A New University – Addressing Diversity
• Robyn Jacobson: Restorative Justice: A Viable Option for Non-academic Misconduct?
• Peter Kostelka: Reaching Out to Citizens

(ENOHE Occasional Paper Nr. 7.)

Related post: ENOHE-ACCUO 2010 Conference Embraces Diversity of Ombuds Practice in Higher Education.

Job Posting: Ryerson University

The public university in Toronto is hiring an Assistant Ombudsperson for an 11-month appointment (August 2, 2011 - July 3, 2012). The posting seeks applicants with several years experience in conflict resolution and knowledge of the post-secondary education setting and student policies and services. Applications are due June 10, 2011. (Charity Village.)

The Ryerson University Ombudsperson Nora Farrell and the Assistant Ombudsperson has been Ayesha Adam.

Related post: Ryerson University Ombuds Explains Slight Decline in Cases.

ENOHE-ACCUO 2010 Conference Embraces Diversity of Ombuds Practice in Higher Education

The 2010 joint conference of the European Network for Ombudsmen in Higher Education and the Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons in Vienna promises a rich array of information for Ombuds.

The conference takes place in Vienna, May 19-21, and has the theme: "Common objectives, different pathways: Embedding Ombudsman principles and practices into Higher Education institutions." Here is a summary of the detailed agenda:

May 19 -- Pre-Conference Workshops

• Mediating Student Complaints: Learning by Doing (Mike Reddy, UK and Jenna Brown, USA)
• Things I Wished I had Known When I Started as an Ombudsman (Clifford Picton, Australia and Tim Birtwistle, UK)
• Challenges to Impartiality (Nora Farrell, Canada)
• Core Curriculum for the Development of Scientific Integrity: Lessons to be Learned for Higher Education Ombudsmen (Gerlinde Sponholz and Helga Nolte, both Germany)

May 20 -- Morning Presentations on Governance in Higher Education

• The Importance of the Use of Language, Terms and Titles in Higher Education Life for Faculty and Students (Tim Birtwistle, UK)
• Conflict Management Revisted: Remarks and Observations on the Status of the University Ombudsman (Wolfgang Weigel, Austria)
• Independence and Governance: (In)Compatible? (Ram Gidoomal, UK)
• Online Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment: Revising a University Protocol (Natalie Sharpe, Canada)
• Complaint Management, Students Rights and the Principle of Public Access to Official Documents: Experiences from Sweden (Christian Sjöstrand, Sweden)

May 20 -- Afternoon Sessions on European Higher Education in Times of Changes: The Importance of Ombudsmen

• European Ombudsman, Mission and Role in European Funding (Gundi Gadesmann, Belgium)
• Implementation of ISO Certifcation and Quality Management within the Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education & Research (Christian Pichler-Stainern, Austria)
• Establishing an Ombudsman for the Lifelong Learning Programme in Austria – Challenges and First Experiences (Karl Andrew Müllner, Austria)
• Building Bridges: University Ombudsmen and University Co-Operation in the Post-"Bologna" European Higher Education Area (Pilar Abad, Spain)
• Ombudsmen: Defining Students' Rights – Student Representatives - Defending Students' Rights (Andrea Blättler, Switzerland and Luis Adolfo Veliz Cornejo, Peru)

May 21 -- Morning Sessions on Building Fair, Respectful and Supportive Environments

• Latin American University Ombudsmen: Building better Environments and Fostering Social Change (Leoncio Lara, Mexico)
• The Pathway Project – An Ombudsman’s Roadmap for the Years to Come (Robert Behrens, UK)
• Dealing with Systemic Issues: Strategies for Solutions in the University Context (Martine Conway, Canada and Sandro Vicini, Switzerland)
• Small and Beautiful: How Austrian Universities of Applied Sciences are Dealing With Student Complaints: The Example of the FHWien-Studiengänge der WKW (Monika Petermandl, Austria)
• The Ombudsman Powers and Tasks in Relation to Higher Education Stakeholders (Doris Kiendl-Wendner, Austria)

May 21 -- Afternoon Sessions on Embracing Diversity

• Higher Education Ombudsmen and Diversity Issues: Considering the Australian Point of View (Ray Morley, Australia)
• New Approaches to Conflict Resolution: The Importance of Cross Cultural Awareness for Ombudspersons (Adrienne Clarke, Canada and Nadine Le Gros, Canada)
• Building Diverse University Communities (Cathryn Heslep, Canada)
• Restorative Justice: A Viable Option for Non-Academic Misconduct? (Robyn Jacobson, Canada)

Social events are planned for the evenings.  Conference registration is € 250, excluding social events.  (2010 Joint ENOHE-ACCUO Conference Info.)

 

Related posts: ENOHE (2008) Conference in London; ACCUO Annual Conference in May 2008; ENOHE (2009) Annual Conference in Germany; Canadian and European Higher Ed Ombuds Will Convene in Vienna.

Election Opens for 2012 IOA Board of Directors

The International Ombudsman Association has announced the slate for the 2011 Board of Directors election. As it has in the past, the Ombuds Blog provides links to public information about the candidates to supplement the official ballot statements.

Nominees for the five open directors positions are:

• Bernard Anderson -- LinkedIn; Ombuds Blog;
• Ilene Butensky -- Eaton Corp.; Ombuds Blog;
• Isabel Calderon (incumbent) -- LinkedIn; Ombuds Blog;
• Doris Campos-Infantino (incumbent) -- Interamerican Development Bank;
• Dolores Gomez-Moran -- George Mason University; Ombuds Blog
• Reto Meister -- LinkedIn;
• Indumati Sen (incumbent) -- International Baccalaureate; Ombuds Blog; and
• Ted Williamson -- LinkedIn; Ombuds Blog.

The nominee for the single associate member representative position is:

• Nora Farrell -- Ryerson University; Ombuds Blog.

Voting, which is open only to IOA members, closes Monday, December 12, 2011 at 5pm Pacific Standard Time (8pm EST). Results of the election will be sent out via email in January, and a formal announcement to members will be made at the IOA conference in April.

Related posts: IOA Announces Board Nominees (2008); Slate for 2009 IOA Board Election; IOA Voids Election Results, Reopens Voting; IOA Announces Board Election Results (2010); IOA Opens Balloting for 2011 Board of Directors.

FCO Elects Officers for 2011-2013 Terms

At its biennial conference in Vancouver earlier this month, the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman elected a new board and officers.




The FCO officers are:

• Kevin Fenwick (President) – Ombudsman Saskatchewan
• Laura Bradbury (Vice President) – Fair Practices Commission (WSIB)
• Laura Bruneau (Treasurer) – National Capital Commission
• J. Paul Dube (Secretary) – Tax Payer Ombudsman
• Ian Darling (Past-President) – Tarion Warranty Corporation

The other directors are:

• Nora Farrell – Ryerson University
• Doug Melville – Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments
• Howard Sapers – Correctional Investigator
• Johanne Savard – City of Montreal
• Todd Sloan – Member at Large

Outgoing President Ian Darling noted that the FCO board meeting also marked a transition with two of the founding FCO directors, Suzanne Belson and Justine Sentenne choosing not to seek reelection to the board. Belson and Sentenne were active in the creation of the FCO, and the early work to establish the identity for the organization. During the annual general meeting, the board made special note of their contributions and thanked them for their dedication to the FCO.

Related posts: FCO Selects New Board and Officers (2009); FCO/ACCUO Post 2011 Conference Agenda; Leading Canadian Ombuds, Suzanne Belson Retires.

ACCUO Annual Conference in May 2008

The Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons will hold its annual conference and general meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on May 28 - 30, 2008. Conference session include:

• Investigator Training Workshop by Andre Marin, Gareth Jones & Sue Haslam, Ombudsman Ontario Office
• Leadership and Coaching Workshop by Robert Bisaillon, École des Hautes Études Commerciales
• Should an Academic Ombudsman/person Mediate Disputes? If so, When and How? by Nora Farrell, Ryerson University
• Imagination technique (controlling anxiety in students) by Norman Miller, McGill University

Contact Anita Pouliot or Hélène Letellier for details and registration. (ACCUO.)

FCO Selects New Board and Officers

The Forum of Canadian Ombudsman has elected the following officers:

• President - Ian Darling
• Vice-President - Kevin Fenwick
• Secretary - Justine Sentenne
• Treasurer - Laura Bruneau.

The rest of the FCO Board consists of:

• Suzanne Belson
• Laura Bradbury
• Nora Farrell
• Howard Sapers
• Doug Melville

Related post: FCO President Will Not Stand for Reelection.

IOA Posts Agenda for 2011 Conference

 The International Ombudsman Association has posted the tentative agenda for its sixth annual conference in Portland, OR on April 4-6.

Day One: Monday, 4/4/11

Welcome & Opening Remarks: Wim Wiewel, President, Portland State University

Keynote Address: Alicia C. Shepard, Ombudsman, National Public Radio

IOA Annual Business Meeting (IOA Members Only) / General Sessions for Non IOA Members

Lunch

Concurrent Sessions

• The Whistleblowing Ombudsman in Germany (Björn Rohde-Liebenau, Attorney, Mediator, Ombudsman, RCC Risk Communication Concepts)
• Differentiating the role of the Ombudsman from HR in the Corporate Sector & Human Resources and the Collegiate Ombuds Office: Natural Partners (Joanne Jirik Mullen, Carleton College; Isabel Calderon, Mars Inc.)
• The Ombudsman as Servant Leader: Mn/DOT’s Ombudsman Program Resolves Issues and Rebuilds Trust
• Mn/DOT Ombudsman
• Information Session with the Directors of the IOA Board of Certification (Marsha Wagner, Ombuds Officer, Columbia University; Carolyn Noorbakhsh, Ombuds, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Diane Dorion, Employee Ombudsman, Royal Bank of Canada; Albin Swenson, Manager, Global Office of the Ombuds, Chevron; Pierre Niedlispacher, Ombudsman, Coca-Cola)
• Climate change isn’t always bad: Tools for diagnosing and working with your organization’s communication climate (Kerry Egdorf, Ombuds, Marquette University)
• Ombuds Work: Reflections on your lived experience (Carol Gabrielli, Ombuds, Portland State University)

Concurrent Sessions

• Safeguarding the Role of the Ombudsman in College and University Settings (Frank R. Baskind, Ombudsman for Faculty and Classified Staff, Virginia Commonwealth University)
• Raising our Voices: A Town Hall Gathering for Associate, Affiliate, and Retired Members of IOA (Kerry Egdorf, Ombuds, Marquette University; John Carter, The Citadel)
• Conflict Coaching; A Whole New Toolkit for the Ombudsman (Berry Kruijning, Conflict Resolution Coach, Crowning Communications LLC)
• Invisible Preference: the Challenge of Mediator Neutrality (Linda Brothers, Associate Ombudsman, National Institutes of Health)
• When Women Talk: Reflections on Mediating Disputes among Women (Howard Gadlin, Ombudsman, National Institutes of Health; Samantha Levine-Finley, Associate Ombudsman, National Institutes of Health)
• Social media and the virtual soapbox: One institutions approach to bringing 'the conversation' back home (Trey Reckling, Director of Student Development, SCAD)

Day Two: Tuesday, 4/5/11

Keynote Address: John S. Barkat, Ombudsman, United Nations

General Session: The Convergence of Diverse Ombuds/Ombudsman Offices: Comparing the Spectrum of O/O applications to identifying structure, essential characteristics, and value to the organization as well as those served (Michael P. Mills, City of Portland)

The Crystal Ball

Lunch

Concurrent Sessions

• The Ombudsman's Role as a Leader in the Organization (Grace Bartini, Ombudsman, American Student Assistance Association; Joyce DeMoss, Ombudsman, Transportation Security Administration)
• What Ombudsmen Should Know About Whistleblower Laws (Chuck Howard, Shipman & Goodwin LLP)
• Federal and State and Local Ombudsman: What we can learn from the Differences and the Similarities (Gregory A. Burke, Ombudsman, ORM)
• Electronic Communication Strategy: Online Conflict Management Coaching Tutorial (D. A. Graham, University Ombuds Officer, Princeton University)
• Journal Author's Panel: Advocating for Fairly and Equitably Administered Processes . . . as a Designated Neutral (Tom Sebok, Director, Ombuds Office, University of Colorado at Boulder; Journal Authors, JIOA)
• The Untold Millions - Demonstrating Organizational Ombudsmen’s Value Return (Lawrence Jagneaux, Halliburton)

Concurrent Sessions

• Therapeutic Theory and Skills for the Ombuds (Lauren Bloom, Ombudsperson, The University of Texas at Austin; Kevin Jessar, Corporate Ombudsman, American Red Cross)
• Nuts and Bolts of An Universally Accessible Ombuds Office (Suzy Rosen Singleton, Campus Ombuds, Gallaudet University)
• Drawing the Line and Choosing Sides: A Tool for Helping Visitors to Remain Constructive (R. Ellen Schreiber, Ombuds, University of Idaho)
• Using Mediation as a Mean to a More Peaceful Society (Tsipora Dimant, Mediator/Facilitator/Instructor, Portland Community College)
• Improving interactions between Ombudsmen and Compliance Officers/Inside Counsel (Ilene Butensky, Eaton Corporation)
• Emotional Well-Being - R U OK? (Mim Gaetano, Asia-Pacific/AIME Ombudsman, Mars, Inc.)

Day Three: Wednesday 4/6/11

Keynote Address: Michael Moffitt, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Director, ADR Center, University of Oregon Law School

General Session: Adopting Business Excellence and Quality Principles to Create Business Value ... Even in an Ombudsman Office (Nicole Goodfellow, Canada Post Corporation)

Lunch

Concurrent Sessions

• How do Ombudsmen across sectors collect and report data? (Lisa Witzler, Ombudsman Intern, National Institutes of Health; Tom Barnette, Regional Ombudsperson, American Express; Sarah Kith, Associate Ombudsman, American Red Cross; Tom Sebok, Ombudsperson, University of Colorado, Boulder; Sara Thacker, Director & Ombudsperson, University of California, Berkeley)
• Internal Justice Systems in International Organizations: Lessons Learned (Camilo Azcarate, Manager of Mediation Services, World Bank Group)
• Ombuds for Small Business (Clare Fowler, Organizational Consultant, Mediate.com)
• Apology and Forgiveness in Multicultural Settings (Miranda Kato, Ombuds, Bellevue College)
• A life-changing experience: Ombuds in Honduras and Nicaragua (D. A. Graham, University Ombuds Officer, Princeton University)
• Interest Session for Editorial Reviewers for The JIOA (David Miller, Editor, JIOA; Alan Lincoln, Founding Editor, JIOA)

Concurrent Sessions

• Values in Action Dialog -- Putting IOA's Decision Model into Practice (Don Noack, Corporate Ombuds, Sandia National Laboratories; Kerry Egdorf, Ombudsman, Marquette University)
• Challenges to Impartiality and Neutrality (Nora Farrell, Ryerson University)
• Conflict Analysis: Using Models/Frameworks to Understand Our Most Complex Cases (Brian Bloch, Co-Director, ISKCONResolve; Bob Cohen, Co-Director, ISKCONResolve)

(IOA Preliminary 2011 Conf. Agenda.)