- Listens and understands faculty concerns while remaining neutral with respect to the facts, but does not judge or decide who is right and who is wrong. They listen to understand the situation from the perspective of the faculty member.
- Assists in reframing issues, developing options, and helping faculty evaluate options.
- Guides or coaches faculty to deal directly with other parties, including the use of both informal and formal resolution resources.
- Facilitates informal resolution through appropriate channels such as mediation.
- Identifies new organizational issues and opportunities for systemic change.
A Faculty Ombuds:
A Faculty Ombuds Does Not:
- participate in any formal adjudicative or administrative procedure related to concerns brought to their attention.
- accept legal notice or formal complaints on behalf of the College
- make binding decisions, mandate policies, offer legal advice or formally adjudicate issues for the College.
- speak on behalf of the College.
- keep any records including any individually identifying information or the contents of conversations; the Ombuds must make sure they have a consistent system of destruction for any records that must be created in the course of their Ombuds’ duties.
Confidentiality is Important
All communication to the Faculty Ombuds Team regarding issues brought to the Faculty Ombuds Team are “off the record” and confidential unless the information shared falls within a requirement where the Ombud is a mandatory reporter under law or policy (e.g. unlawful discrimination and/or harassment, Title IX and Clery Act crimes – see https://www.ithaca.edu/ogc/harassment/ and https://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/safety/clerycompliance/crimes/).