San Jose State's Ombuds Reports Strong Demand

Demerris Brooks, who was hired as the Ombudsperson for California's San Jose State University in August 2008, reports that she has already handled more than 300 student cases in current academic year. Most of these have been resolved informally.

"Out of the 307 cases I've dealt with this year, only seven have gone to the Student Fairness Committee," she said. "Everything else is either able to be resolved at my level or the student decides they don't want to pursue it anymore." Pat Lopes Harris, director of media relations for SJSU, said the ombudsman is an integral part of the university because it reinforces university ideals. (Spartan Daily.)

Related posts: Job Posting; San Jose State Fills Ombuds Position; Higher Ed Ombuds Are Embracing Social Media.

Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics Sets Program on Organizational Ombuds

The nonprofit membership association for organizational ethics and compliance officers, will offer a program on June 3, 2010: "Extending the Reach of Your Compliance Program: How an Organizational Ombudsman Can Be A valuable Supplement to Compliance."

The online event will be hosted by Charles Howard, Partner at Shipman & Goodwin LLP, and Paul Robert, Associate General Counsel & Director for Contracts and Compliance at United Technologies Corp. SCCE serves 16,000 members and a certification program in compliance and ethics. (SCCE Web Conference Info.)

At the IOA conference in April, Howard exhorted the association to market itself more aggressively so as much a part of the organizational landscape as compliance officers. Apparently, he's putting his own advice into action.

Related posts: ABA Publishes First Book About Organizational Ombuds; Tweets Offers Perspective on 2010 IOA Conference.

Columbia Offers Ombuds Course Again

For a second year in a row, Columbia University's School of Continuing Education will offer "Fundamentals of Ombuds Practice" as one of the courses for a Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.

 

A description of the three-unit course indicates that the focus is on the Organizational Ombuds model.

The ombuds profession has seen a tremendous growth in interest as interest in alternative dispute resolution and integrated dispute resolution systems within organizations has increased. However, when asked, the average person in the United States still neither knows what an ombudsperson is nor the functions that an ombudsperson fulfills within an organization. This class will introduce students to the major theoretical and practical issues inherent in the ombuds profession. With particular focus on the Standards of Practice as articulated by the International Ombudsman Association, students will learn about the unique services that organizational ombudspeople provide to organizations and to individuals within those organizations.

The class again will be taught by Columbia's Associate Ombuds, Bathabile Mthombeni. (Columbia Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.)

Related posts: Columbia Adds Ombuds Course; CO-OP Board Announces First Class of Certified Ombuds.

Job Posting: Food and Drug Administration

The Department Of Health And Human Services agency is hiring a Conflict Prevention and Resolution Specialist for its headquarters in Rockville, MD. Although the position is not titled as an Ombuds, job duties are very similar and include:

• Maintaining the integrity of conflict resolution processes through neutrality and impartiality.
• Identifying the root causes of workplace conflict.
• Recommending techniques and solutions to organizational conflict.
• Serving as a neutral third party in situations of conflict or disagreement.
• Mediating workplace disputes.

The GS-13 position pays $89,033-$115,742 per year. Applications are due May 23, 2010. (USAJobs, Job Ann. No.: CK321774LK.)

BP Ombuds Could Draw Scrutiny in Gulf Oil Spill Investigation

Truthout, the nonprofit progressive news site, is reporting that a former British Petroleum contractor claims the oil conglomerate ignored complaints he made to the company's Ombuds office. The whistleblower claims that BP broke federal laws and violated its own internal procedures by failing to maintain crucial safety and engineering documents related to deepwater production projects in the Gulf of Mexico.

The whistleblower detailed these claims in emails to Pasha Eatedali in BP's Ombuds office in March 2009. The Ombuds office agreed to investigate. A few weeks later, Billie Pirner Garde, BP's Deputy Ombudsman later sent an email saying that some claims "were substantiated" and added that the whistleblower's complaints weren't "unique" and had been raised by other employees "before you worked there, while you were there and after you left." On March 26, 2010, Department of Interior's federal Minerals Management Services launched a formal investigation and is expected to file a report detailing its findings next month. (Truthout.)

As the Gulf oil spill grows into one of the country's greatest ecological disasters, a Congressional inquiry is inevitable. If so, there is a chance that testimony from BP's Ombuds could be requested.

Related post: Critics Question Independence of BP Ombuds.

Eastern Carolina University, Please Don't Call it an Ombuds Office

The public university in Greenville North Carolina has had an "Office of Ombudsman" since at least 2005.  However, it is indistinguishable from the Dean of Students Office in most respects.  For example the ECU Ombuds authorizes exceptions to the student alcohol policy and provides excuses for student absences due to university activities. 

These are appropriate duties for the Dean of Students and just mislead people about the role of an Ombuds.  ECU should drop the pretense of the 'Ombuds' label.  (http://www.ecu.edu/cs-studentlife/ombudsman/.)

Texas Ombuds Will Meet May 12

The Ombuds of Texas will hold its next meeting in Austin at the LCRA Dalchau Service Center. Elisa Hendricks, Ombudsman and Cindy Fortress, Program Specialist, Office of the Ombudsman, Texas Health and Human Services Commission will introduce themselves and provide an overview of their program.

Alliance Work Partners, a Division of Workers Assistance Program, will provide a program on “Effective Listening.” A complete agenda and details are available at the OOT website. (Ombuds of Texas.)