IOI President Bids Adieu in June Newsletter

In the June 2010 newsletter from the International Ombudsman Institute, President and long-time advocate for Classical Ombudsmen, Bill Angrick reflects on his career. Other items in the newsletter include:

• Training announcement for “Sharpening Your Teeth,” in Vienna, November 14-17, 2010
• Notice of papers from the Stockholm 2009 Conference
• A tribute to the late Sir Cecil Clothier
• Appointments of Ombudsmen in Germany, Thailand, Estonia, Uzbekistan, Ontario (Canada), and Poland

(IOI June 2010 Newsletter.)

Related posts: IOI Newsletter Highlights Membership Growth and Leadership Changes; Leading Classical Ombudsman Set to Retire.

California Caucus Returns After Year Hiatus

After missing its first year in nearly four decades, the California Caucus of Colleges and University Ombuds returns to Asilomar in Pacific Grove, California, November 7-12, 2010. The conference has been a fixture for West Coast Ombuds since 1973, but did not occur in 2009 due to declining attendance. Organizers and stakeholders have spent the past year strategizing about return of the event, which is uniquely different than other Ombuds conferences.

This year, workshops, presentations, case studies, and panels of Ombuds will focus on the theme of “The Ecology of Ombudsing – Building Sustainable Value." Confirmed workshop presenters include Lisa Neale and Mary Chavez Rudolph (University of Colorado, Denver), Martine Conway (University of Victoria) and Kerry Egdorf (Marquette University). Volunteers and case studies are being solicited. Click flyer for details.

Related posts: New Website for California Caucus; Cal Caucus Sets Conference Call.

Job Posting: Cleveland Clinic, Florida

The Cleveland Clinic has reopened its search for an Ombudsman Manager to be stationed in Weston, Florida. In addition to resolving patient problems, the position will provide ongoing training and support to Ombuds staff and represent the Ombudsman Department throughout the state and nationally.

Applicants should have at least "five years extensive public relations experience preferably in an Ombuds capacity in an interdisciplinary patient care setting." No salary or closing date indicated. (Cleveland Clinic Careers.)

USCIS Ombuds Submits Annual Report to Congress

The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman has submitted its seventh annual report to Congress. The Ombuds for Department of Homeland Security immigration issues provides confidential, independent and impartial assistance to the public.

The report highlights systemic problems at USCIS arising out of declining revenues, modernization efforts, adjudication requests and customer service inquiries. The USCIS Ombuds also made 20 recommendations for administrative changes. (USCIS Ombuds 2010 Report.)

Related posts: Immigration Expert Says USCIS Ombuds Should Have More Power; DHS Secretary Appoints New Immigration Ombuds.

Update: UN Ombuds Reports Growing Demand for Service

At a press briefing this afternoon, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Ombudsman John Barkat joined other administrators to report on the organization's new justice system. Barkat said his office has opened 536 cases in the first five months of 2010, a 70% increase from the same period last year.

He interest in the Ombuds service is growing because it is quick, interest based, preserves relationships and allows parties to select the outcome themselves. The UN internal justice system handles disputes between staff and management, which cannot be filed in national courts. (UN News Centre.)

Prior post: Ombuds to Give Update on UN Justice Program.

BP Targeting Its Internal Ombuds Program

CNN is reporting exclusively that BP has been trying to shut down its Ombudsman program. According to "sources close to the office" and Rep. Bart Stupak, the Ombuds office headed by retired federal judge Stanley Sporkin has been targeted for closure. (CNN.)

Meanwhile, Truthout is reporting that Sporkin gave Congress misleading or false information in response to an investigation about North Slope safety concerns.  (Truthout.)

I am somewhat skeptical that the BP Ombuds is in imminent danger. When the chairman of a congressional subcommittee investigating your company has your number on speed dial, it would unwise to fire the Ombudsman you hired up under pressure from lawmakers. BP should be motivated to keep Sporkin close and reduce any incentive for him to become a witness at the next round of congressional hearings.

Prior post: Is 15 Minutes of Fame Approaching for BP Ombuds?

IOA to Offer Organizational Ombuds Training in Paris

UNESCO will host the next training offered by the International Ombudsman Association September 6-8 in Paris.  Two courses will be presented: one for beginning Ombuds and one specialized course. 

Ombudsman 101 will be offered September 6-7, 2010. This course covers the fundamentals of the organizational Ombudsman role; it will benefit the recently-appointed Ombudsman, individuals interested in becoming an Ombudsman, or anyone desiring to establish an Ombudsman function in industry, government, higher education, and public or private social services agencies. The instructors will be Danielle Fischer-Lebailly, European Ombudsman for Mars Inc., and Georgia Shaver, Ombudsman for the UN World Food Programme.

Mediation and the Ombudsman, a specialized course, will be offered September 8. This all-day program will introduce practicing Ombuds to mediation, the mediation process, and mediation programs. Instructors will examine the relationship between Ombuds practice and mediation, two of the most common informal dispute resolution mechanisms used to resolve workplace conflict. The course will be taught by Camilo Azcarate, Manager of Mediation Services for the World Bank, Doris Campos-Infantino, Ombudsperson for the Inter-American Development Bank, Donna Douglas Williams, Ombudsman for the World Health Organization, and Linda Toyo Obayashi, Mediation Officer for the World Bank.

The deadline for priority registration is July 23, 2010. (IOA Paris Info.)