Interview of DePaul University's Ombuds

Rev. Craig Mousin, has served as the Ombudsperson for faculty and staff at the private university in Chicago for the past 11 years. He is a minister with the United Church of Christ, a lawyer, and a law professor at DePaul. Before becoming an Ombuds, he was the director of the Center for Church-State Studies for the DePaul Law School.



Mousin was interviewed recently by the campus newspaper. 

The DePaulia: Finally, what is the goal of your position here as an ombudsperson? 

Craig Mousin: The overall goal of our office is to resolve conflicts peacefully and to help DePaul fulfill its Vincentian mission. We try to facilitate direct and candid conversations between all members of the university community and attempt to prevent miscommunication. The work being done in this office seems to affect nearly every aspect of the university because they cater to all faculty and staff members. The ombudsperson office is a division of the Office of Mission and Values. 

(The DePaulia.) 

Mousin published an article in the latest Journal of IOA and will be speaking at the IOA 2012 conference. 

Related posts: DePaul Ombuds Talks About Diversity and Workplace Conflict; Recap of 2010 Midwest Meeting of University & College Ombuds; Journal of IOA Explores Issues of Confidentiality; IOA Opens Registration and Posts Agenda for 2012 Conference.

Meet Michagan State University's New Ombuds

Robert Caldwell was appointed as the Ombuds for MSU in January 2012 and inherited the oldest continuously operating college Ombuds office in the U.S. "The first thing I'm trying to do is really immerse myself in history, and immerse myself in the tradition we have established here at Michigan State University," Caldwell said. 

He says that he has been in contact with three of the four previous Ombuds who live nearby, including Stan Soffin. In one of his first moves, Caldwell changed his title from "Ombudsman" to "Ombudsperson." (MSU News.) 

Related post: Michigan State University Selects Next Ombuds.

Meet the Ombuds for the University of California San Francisco

Randy Daron was appointed last summer as the first Ombuds for the UCSF. In a profile by the campus news center, Daron explains how he oversaw the evolution of UCSF’s Work~Life Resource Center into an Ombuds Office. As acting director of the Work~Life Resource Center, Daron provided a range of problem-solving services, including mediation, problem resolution and trainings and presentations on a variety of workplace topics, such as effective communication, emotional intelligence and conflict management. 

UCSF's Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, Sally Marshall, explained why Daron was selected for the post. “Daron’s academic training as a clinical psychologist, his work experience in the WLRC, his knowledge of the complexities and culture of UCSF, coupled with his personal standards related to ethics, confidentiality and neutrality all contributed to his appointment.” The article also notes that Daron has completed IOA training. (UCSF News.) 

Related posts: University of California San Francisco Appoints First Ombuds; University of California San Francisco Ombuds Office Goes Online.

Drexel University Names New Ombuds

David H. Flood, PhD, has been appointed as the next Ombuds for the private research university in Philadelphia. Flood has been a faculty member at Drexel since 1976. In addition to his primary appointment in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, Flood has a secondary appointment in Drexel’s College of Medicine. he teaches courses in medical and healthcare humanities and healthcare ethics. 

Flood received his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania and recently completed the Intensive Bioethics Course at Georgetown University’s Kennedy Institute. A website for the new office is now online. (Drexel Ombuds; Faculty Profile.) 

Related post: Drexel University to Hire New Ombuds.

Brown University Announces New Faculty Ombuds

Ruth Kohorn Rosenberg, currently director of student mediation in the Office of Student Citizenship at MIT, will become the next Faculty Ombudsperson at Brown University on February 22, 2012. The appointment reopens an Ombuds Office that was closed in 2009. Rosenberg will handle issues and concerns from the university faculty, postdoctoral research fellows and associates, and the University. 

According to the press release: 

Rosenberg has more than 25 years experience in conflict engagement. She designs and teaches numerous courses and workshops on conflict engagement skills at MIT and in New England. She is immediate past president of the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution and an adjunct professor at Roger Williams University School of Law. She is a facilitator and mediator with the Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution and the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Island. Rosenberg served as the director of family mediation services at the Cleveland Mediation Center. She was assistant dean for academic affairs in the Division of Biology and Medicine at Brown, before going to MIT in 2007. At MIT, she developed a number of innovative outreach programs for undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty, including an active bystander program and basic mediation workshops. She also serves as a freshman adviser and teaches a freshman advising seminar. 

Rosenberg graduated from Smith Colleg, earned a JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and a received a certificate in nonprofit management from Case Western Reserve University. (Brown Press Release.)

Related posts: Brown University Ombuds Issues Second Annual Report; Brown University Ombuds Office is Latest Closure; Job Posting Reveals Brown University Will Reopen Ombuds Office.

Three Questions for Hamline's Ombuds

Molly McAvoy, the Ombudsman for Hamline University, was recently interviewed by the Twin Cities Star Tribune. Although she helps faculty, staff and students work through their issues as a neutral third party, she says that coaching individuals to handle their own situations often yields better results. The newspaper asked her three questions. 

Q: How do you help people through conflicts?
A: When people are in conflict, it's often because they have different styles of communication. Or they just don't hear each other. My job is to bring them to the table and elicit more information, ask questions, and get them to say what they are really thinking.

Q: Is your job stressful?
A: It can be ... but the beauty of this position is that I'm not part of the conflict, and I can help people move through it. There are always some cases where the outcome is really going to impact a person's life ... and those are really difficult.

Q: What do you enjoy about your job?
A: For someone to be able to tell their story and be heard can really make a difference ... sometimes that's the only thing they need to move forward. (Vita.mn.) 

Related post: Interview With Hamline University Ombuds.

Day in the Life of the ICANN Ombuds

In his latest blog post, Chris LaHatte, the Ombudsman for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, reveals his daily routine. Organizational Ombuds serving a local population will find that LaHatte, who serves stakeholders around the globe, has a very different day.

A typical day for me starts around 6:30 a.m. like many in the ICANN world, time zones become irrelevant, and so I keep my phone close at all times so I can check on incoming e-mail and messages. This now includes messages via Facebook, because of my new Facebook page. So my routine is to then come downstairs to where my laptop is plugged in. I work from an antique Korean writing desk so I can just unfold the lid and get to work. As I am a typical New Zealander, this also involves making a cup of tea. I then settle in and clear e-mails, check my tasks for the day and my diary.

Like many other Ombuds, LaHatte compensates for his isolation by maintaining strong connections with local professionals unaffiliated with ICANN. (ICANN Ombudsman Blog.)

Related posts: ICANN Appoints Kiwi Attorney to be Its Next Ombuds; ICANN Ombuds Explains a Non-confidential Mediation.

Interview of New Ombuds for Medical College of Wisconsin

Milwaukee Public Radio has posted its conversation with Peter Layde, the newly appointed Ombudsman for the private medical and graduate school. Layde distinguished his role from the more familiar Ombuds in media and explained how he works with faculty, staff and students.

He was drawn to the role after the new president of Medical College of Wisconsin sought to improve the climate of the school. Layde says that his feedback reflects a progressive approach to management:

I think in general there's a lot more interest in benefiting from the experience and wisdom of every not just the senior management. So this is very much an alternative to some of the traditional, hierarchical approaches to management.

Layde also says he has been busy in the part-time position. The 10-minute interview is a great overview of the profession. (WUWM Lake Effect.)

Related posts: Job Posting; Medical College of Wisconsin Appoints Professor to be First Ombuds; Medical College of Wisconsin Ombuds Office Debuts Website.

Algonquin College Appoints an Ombuds

George E. Cole was appointed in September to be the next Ombudsman for Algonquin.  According to the recently updated website for his office, Cole has worked for many years in higher education as an administrator and faculty member.

Cole is affiliated with the International Institute of Restorative Practices, and holds membership in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada, Association of Colleges and University Ombudspersons, International Ombudsman Association, and the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services. Algonquin has also posted a video of Cole introducing himself in October. (Algonquin Ombuds Bio; Ombuds Info Session.)

Related posts: Ombuds Office at Algonquin College Will Move to New Building in 2012; Job Posting.

Article Spotlights Work of Ombuds in San Diego

The San Diego Union-Tribune recently profiled Ombuds at four local universities. The newest is Derrick Crawford, who became the first Ombudsperson at California State University San Marcos earlier this year. Crawford serves the entire campus and also handles diversity and educational equity issues.


Crawford says that when he was hired, he sought advice from Judy Bruner at the University of California San Diego and Marit Bessesen at San Diego State University.

Bruner also serves all campus constituents. Although she declined to be interviewed for the article, student leaders said Bruner recently helped diffuse a campus protest when UCSD students demanded that administrators reopen a closed library. “She was there in the morning, before the (administrators) got there,” said Josue Castillo, 21, who was involved in negotiations with officials over the library. “She was there talking to students and getting their perspective. She was very helpful in general, being there and offering her presence.”

At San Diego State, Bessesen serves Ombuds just for students. “I do talk with faculty, but only if it’s a student focused issue,” she said, adding that the kind of faculty and staff issues handled by her counterparts would be addressed by unions or human resources officials at SDSU. Bessesen said she can work with 10 to 30 students a day.

At the University of San Diego, Tom Cleary’s work as an Ombuds is limited strictly to external relations. Cleary, who is also the director of community and government relations, explains, “We are in a residential neighborhood. I deal with neighbors over traffic from basketball games or football games and noise from construction projects or students opening their windows and blaring their stereos.” (SD Union-Tribune.)

Related posts: San Diego State Ombuds Office Marks 40 Years With New Appointment; Slate for 2009 IOA Board Election; Google Map Shows California Ombuds Offices; California State University San Marcos Appoints First Ombuds.

Michigan State University Selects Next Ombuds

The MSU trustees will soon consider the recommendation of Robert Caldwell to serve as the next University Ombudsperson. “Through his many years of service, Bob has demonstrated his long-term commitment to students on campus,” said MSU Provost Kim Wilcox. “By way of that commitment, he has earned wide respect from students, staff and faculty.”

Caldwell joined the MSU faculty in 1982 and has been a full professor in the Department of Psychology since 1994. Caldwell has also held a variety of administrative positions and currently serves as an Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. He graduated from the University of Rochester and earned his MA and PhD from the University of Colorado, Boulder. His research interests lie in the field of child abuse prevention. He succeeds Stan Soffin, who was the MSU Ombuds for 13 years. (MSU News.)

Related posts: Michigan State University Ombuds Office Marks 40 Years of Service; Michigan State to Appoint Ombuds for Student Athletes; Michigan State University Ombuds to Retire.

Red Cross Appoints Associate Ombuds

This post has been deleted. 

Related posts: American Red Cross Appoints Deputy Ombuds; Harvard Law Students Assist Red Cross Ombuds Office With Strategic Research; Red Cross Issues Second Annual Report; Job Posting.

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.

Minnesota Department of Transportation Creates Ombuds for Employees

Mn/DOT has appointed Wendy Friede as its first-ever Employee Ombudsman. In her role as employee ombudsman, Friede will serve as a complement to department’s current formal resources, rather than a competitor or duplicate. “If you know where to go and feel comfortable going there, go directly there,” Friede said. “If you’re not comfortable with those resources and want someone to talk to, the employee ombudsman is an option for you.

Friede is a Certified Organizational Ombudsman Practitioner, trained mediator and coach who has worked 18 years in the public and private sector. She served on the International Ombudsman Board of Directors and is the current Secretary of the Board of Certification. Friede earned her bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in Instructional Media and Design from Boston University. (Mn/DOT Newsline.)

Related posts: Two Organizational Ombuds Launch Blogs; Minnesota DOT Ombuds Office is Honored for Work; IOA Board of Certification Announces New Officers.

Palo Alto University Names First Ombuds

The San Francisco-Bay area school of psychology has appointed Rev. Byron Bland as its first University Chaplain and Ombuds. According to a university press release, "Drawing from his lifelong experiences as a minister and peace and conflict mediator, the Reverend will serve the University community’s religious, spiritual, moral and ethical needs." The university enrolls about 600 undergraduate and graduate students.

Previously, Bland was the associate director of the Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation. He is an ordained Presbyterian minister and has served as an Ombuds and conflict resolution consultant for various community and church groups. He has also served as a lecturer in the Stanford Law School, the School of Education, and the International Relations program. Bland gradauted from Georgia Tech, and earned masters degrees in social ethics and divinity from the San Francisco Theological Seminary. (San Jose Mercury News; Palo Alto University; Stanford CDDRL.)

Interview With San Jose State University Ombuds

SJSU University Ombudsman Demerris Brooks was interviewed for her campus newspaper this week. Her office has served the California State University campus since the late 1960's. Brooks explains that, “If a student has an issue and they aren’t sure what their rights are or what the rules are, then I am the place they would come to discuss that.” Since the beginning of the 2009-10 school year, she has provided consultation for 44 faculty complaints, 46 issues with department policies, 40 enrollment disputes and 49 grade disputes. (Spartan Daily.)

Related posts: Related posts: Job Posting; San Jose State Fills Ombuds Position; Higher Ed Ombuds Are Embracing Social Media; San Jose State's Ombuds Reports Strong Demand.

AllianceBernstein Appoints Ombuds

The global investment management firm in New York has hired attorney Sana A. Manjeshwar as its next Ombudsman. Previously, Manjeshwar worked as a labor and employment attorney for the law firms of Wilson Elser and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, and a human resources manager. She earned a BA in Psychology from McGill University and a JD from Fordham University School of Law. The appointment was effective in September. (AllianceBernstein; LinkedIn.)

Related posts: : Job Posting; Past IOA President Jan Schonauer Announces Retirement; Job (Re-)Posting.

Meet Brock University's New Ombuds

The public university in St. Catharines, has appointed Duncan McDonald as its Student Ombudsperson while Carole Moss is on leave. McDonald will serve a one-year term through September 2012. He introduces himself and provides an overview of his office in a short video on BrockTV.

McDonald has worked in the non profit world for twenty years, most recently as minister and CEO of Orillia Alliance Church. He earned his BA from Ambrose University and is completing an MA in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University, specializing in organization behavior. McDonald has additional training in mediation and facilitation from the Canadian Institute of Conflict Resolution in Ottawa. (BUSU Ombuds Office; BrockTV; LinkedIn.)

Related: Job Posting.

New Ombuds at University of Central Florida Posts Welcome on YouTube

Shreya Trivedi, who became the UCF Ombuds Officer in May 2011, has created a video introducing her office. Trivedi served as the Ombuds Assistant 2001 to 2006 and then moved to the UCF International Services Center as a Recruiter and later as Immigration Advisor and Assistant Director of Admissions and Registration.

Trivedi came to UCF from Kenya in 2001 as an international student and thrived at UCF. As an undergraduate, she was President of the International Student Association and a member of the President’s Leadership Council. Trivedi graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Advertising and Public Relations and is working on a master’s in Non-Profit Management at UCF. In the UCF Ombuds Office, she works with Daniel Thompson, Ombuds Assistant. (YouTube; UCF Ombuds Office.)

Related posts: University of Central Florida Ombuds Offers Video Welcome [2010]; University of Central Florida Ombuds Announces Retirement; Job Posting.

Interview with New Princeton Ombuds

Just two weeks into her new job as the University Ombuds Officer, Wokie Nwabueze is the subject of an interview published by The University Press Club at Princeton. When asked, "What are your goals as university ombuds officer?" she responded:

My immediate goal as ombuds officer is to raise awareness of the office’s existence and to invite and create opportunities to inform the community about the services that the ombuds office offers. As university ombuds officer, I strive to be a trusted resource on this campus for individuals and groups needing assistance, for training and education around conflict management and for coaching and advice on the day to day challenges any of us can face in such a dynamic environment. Ultimately, I want the ombuds office to support the University towards its goal of ensuring that members of this community are treated equitably.

She also admits that her pet peeve is any sound made by styrofoam. (University Press Club.)

Related posts: Chuck Howard Will Speak at Princeton; Job Posting; Princeton Names Corporate Mediator to Serve as Next University Ombuds.