The Staff Ombuds Office assists individuals in resolving conflicts at informal levels and is independent from formal compliance and complaint resources. While Ombuds may refer individuals to these formal resources, Ombuds do not participate in any internal or external investigations or adjudicative procedures. Once an employee moves forward with a formal process, the Staff Ombuds Office will not work with the employee on the substance* of the underlying complaint for the duration of the formal process. Use of the Staff Ombuds Office is voluntary. After a formal process has concluded, the Staff Ombuds Office may help employees explore informal problem-solving strategies.
* Please note that if an employee has concerns about the formal campus complaint process itself, the Staff Ombuds Office can serve as a resource to help employees find solutions to resolving procedural problems during the formal complaint process.