New York Co-Op Market Adopts Ombuds Program for Customers

GreenStar Cooperative Market, a consumer-owned, democratically-run cooperative corporation in Ithaca, NY, has created an Ombuds program. According to GreenStar's blog, the new program will facilitate the communication of questions, concerns, problems or complaints from members and nonmembers.

Deborah ("D") Scott and Evelyn ("Evie") Weinstein were selected to jointly fill the position. Both women have experience volunteering for the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service in Ithaca. Weinstein is a social worker and Scott is currently completing her graduate degree in social work at Binghamton University. They anticipate following IOA standards and looking to the Ombuds programs at Ithaca College and Cornell University for guidance. (Greenstar Co-op Blog.)

Update: Patent Office Approves Ombuds Pilot Program

The United States Patent and Trademark Office received for its proposed Patents Ombudsman Pilot Program. After considering the written comments from the patent community, the USPTO has decided to implement the Patents Ombudsman Pilot Program for a period of one year.

The Patents Ombudsman Pilot Program is intended to provide patent applicants, attorneys and agents with assistance with application-processing issues regarding concerns with advancement of prosecution. (TMCnet.com.)

Related posts: US Patent Office Seeks Input on Ombuds Program; ABA Offers Guidance on Patent Office Ombuds Pilot; COFO Collaborating With Federal Agencies Creating New Ombuds Programs.

Journal of IOA Publishes Latest Issue in Time for Annual Conference

The Journal of the International Ombudsman Association has published its third issue. Editor in Chief David Miller has collected several articles that bear on the effectiveness of Ombuds programs:

• “Identifying and Communicating the Effectiveness of Organizational Ombuds with Ideas About OO Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness” – Mary Rowe;
• “Assessing Effectiveness in Ombudsman Programs” – Howard Gadlin;
• “Creating an Effective Office: A Case Study” – by Janis Schonauer;
• “Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of an Ombudsman: A Corporate Case Study” – Janet L Newcomb;
• “A Look at the Ombudsman Role in Cultural Change: Part 1” - Brian Bloch;
• “Conflict Coaching and the Organizational Ombuds Field” – Ross Brinkert;
• “An Ethical Privilege: The Case for a Statutory Privilege for the Organizational Ombuds” – Andrew Larratt-Smith; and
• Book Review of Charles Howard’s The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles, and Operations – Tom Kosakowski.

Longer summaries of these articles will follow shortly. Most of the authors will be attending the IOA annual conference later this week.  (JIOA, Vol. 3, Issue 1.)

Related posts: Journal of IOA Releases First Issue; Journal of IOA Publishes Second Volume; Journal of IOA Appoints New Editor.

IOA Conference in New Orleans Starts Wednesday

The International Ombudsman Association's fifth annual conference starts April at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans.  A day of pre-conference training will be followed by two and a half days of sessions, meetings and networking events. 

In addition, applicants for certification will have their second opportunity to take the CO-OP exam. More than 300 Organizational Ombuds are expected to attend, although budget restrictions are preventing some from participating. Here are some recent posts about the event.

• IOA Annual Conference Marks Fifth Anniversary With Promise of Rebirth, Rebuild and Respond;
• IOA Announces First Winner of Student Writing Competition;
• Follow the IOA Conference on Twitter;
• First Ombuds Certification Exam: 96% Pass Rate;
• Friday Poll: Why Aren't You Attending the IOA Conference?;
• Making Smart Choices in New Orleans; and
• Area Around New Orleans Abounds With Ombuds Offices.

Area Around New Orleans Abounds With Ombuds Offices

Within driving distance of the Crescent City, you will find many organizations with Ombuds programs:

• Amediasys, Inc.;
• Auburn University;
• Houston Community College;
• Louisiana State University;
• New Orleans Recovery School District;
• Southern University;
• University of Alabama;
• University of Arkansas;
• University of Houston;
• University of Louisiana;
• University of Southern Mississippi; and
• University of Texas Medical Branch (opening soon).

Related post: Montréal Abounds With Ombuds Offices.

Job Posting: Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara

KP is hiring a Health Care Ombuds/Mediator for Homestead Hospital in Santa Clara, CA. The Kaiser HCOM "functions as a trained alternative dispute professional offering patients, family members, staff & providers a conflict management program to resolve patient/provider healthcare disputes early thereby improving patient safety & reducing the costs of health care dispute resolution."

People who have applied for these positions confirm that Kaiser requires extensive clinical or health care management experience. No salary or closing date indicated. (Kaiser Permanent Careers, Job No.: 020481.)

Idaho State University Ombuds Had Role in Controversial No-Confidence Vote

As faculty efforts to unseat the ISU provost became public, it was revealed that the University Ombuds helped count ballots. 

There should be some guidance for Ombuds pulled into these sorts of governance disputes.

In mid March, ISU faculty members presented a petition to force a vote of no-confidence in the university's provost and vice president for academic affairs, Gary A. Olson. Olson, who was hired less than a year ago, provoked the faculty's ire by proposing a restructuring plan that would save up to $1.5 million. When the Idaho State Board of Education began in inquiry, it was revealed that the original petitions had been destroyed after being counted. Phil Cole, VP of the Faculty Senate, explained that the ballots were destroyed to protect the 165 petitioners from retaliation. There is now a controversy over the validity of the petition since the documents are no longer available.

Among other things, the coverage of the controversy has revealed the involvement of the ISU Ombuds. According to the Faculty Senate Chair, Alan C. Frantz, the ISU Ombudsman helped count the first set of ballots. In an editorial, Frantz said

Executive Committee members present and the Ombudsman did not view petitions as public records, even if no obvious exemption were apparent, and concluded that they should be shredded after verification, before a public records request could be filed and hold up the disposal of the petitions.

A second vote was conducted and it is not clear whether the Ombuds was involved again. However, the Faculty Chair said that he advised the Ombuds of the results. The matter is far from being concluded, but it bears noting that the faculty vote of no-confidence is advisory only and the decision on the fate of the ISU Provost ultimately rests with the University President. (The Chronicle of Higher Education Blog; Idaho State Journal article, editorial.)

Although their involvement is not usually this public, University Ombuds are often caught up in faculty governance disputes. As a trusted, confidential and informal resource, Ombuds are often among the first to hear about faculty discontent that may lead to a no-confidence vote. However, because these situations are rare, Ombuds may find themselves struggling to define an appropriate role. For this reason, the International Ombudsman Association should help define best practices for Ombuds during a no-confidence vote.