For Individuals
What Can the Ombuds Do for Me?
The ombudsperson helps individuals resolve issues fairly, and if possible, informally. The ombudsperson has been given broad access to information and resources that can be of assistance in developing options to help people resolve their issues. This includes access to University administrators, faculty and staff, and records.
The Ombuds:
- Actively listens to and discusses your questions and concerns
- Helps you to evaluate options and suggests approaches for addressing concerns
- Serves as a neutral “third party” in conflict resolution
- Advocates for a fair resolution process
Some possible outcomes of your meeting may include the Ombuds:
- Coaching and role-playing in order to provide you with some new ways of trying to resolve a problem on your own
- Providing you with information about policies, procedures, services and programs
- Facilitating communication between people
- Referring you to another campus resource
- Advising you about steps to resolve the problem informally
- Advising you about formal and administrative options. Helping you to bring your issues to the attention of those with authority to address your concerns
- Recommending institutional review or change in policies or procedures that generate conflict
- Collaborating with other campus offices on issues of general concern
What Will the Ombuds Not Do?
The services of the campus ombudsperson do not compromise or replace policies or procedures established under collective bargaining agreements. In addition, UCSC’s campus ombudsperson does not:
- Accept notice on behalf of the university
- Provide legal advice
- Provide psychological counseling
- Keep formal records documenting an individual’s visit
- Render judgments or make decisions on issues brought to the office
- Make decisions for administrators or others
- Determine “guilt” or “innocence” of those accused of wrong-doing
- Share information with others without an individual’s knowledge or permission
- Conduct formal investigations
- Assign sanctions or discipline to individuals
- Participate in formal hearings (grievance, union, or arbitration), processes or lawsuits
- Advocate for either party in a dispute
Examples of Issues Brought to the Ombuds
- Benefits questions
- Communication issues with colleagues
- Departmental concerns
- Discipline/promotion/demotion
- Discrimination, Harassment and Bias
- Ethical considerations
- Grade questions & disputes
- Performance evaluations
- Retaliation
- Research data ownership/usage/authorship
- On-campus housing issues
- University policies & procedures
- Whistleblowing
For Groups, Units, or Departments
Training and Facilitation Services
The Office of the Ombuds offers a variety of training and facilitation services, typically tailored to the needs of a group, unit, or department. Our services are available in many formats: team development within departments, large-format facilitations with a group to develop community agreements, retreats, World Cafes, a mixture of any of these or more.
Topical areas covered through these training or facilitations can include any of the following, or more depending on the need:
- General introduction to the Office of the Ombuds
- What is Conflict?
- Active Listening
- Community Agreements or Team Expectation Development
- World Cafe
- Conflict Styles
- Intent vs. Impact
- Team Development Process
- De-Escalation
- Positions vs. Interests
- Navigating Conflict as a Graduate Student
- Psychological Safety
Please feel free to schedule a meeting with De and/or Anthony to discuss the needs of your particular group, which can include any of the above topics or beyond. We are always happy to collaborate and create new materials to ensure we offer training and/or facilitation that works best for the community we are serving!