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Who is The University of Virginia Ombuds?
The University of Virginia Ombuds acts as a trusted navigator for current faculty, staff and students seeking guidance, information, insight, and potential options to overcome an existing conflict or concern. The University Ombuds is a transformative and engaging university resource who helps empower individuals to proactively address their conflict and concerns in a positive, constructive method while assisting in an impartial, independent, informal, and confidential manner.
Impartial
The University Ombuds acts in a neutral and transparent way by not taking sides, representing/ advocating on behalf of an individual, conducting investigations, or rendering a judgment about an issue, but rather works to develop options to address issues that support empowerment and a fair process.
Independent
The University Ombuds Office is a separate office and function from the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, Human Resources, Legal and other University administration and operates outside of ordinary line and staff structures.
Informal
The University Ombuds practices informally, with no management decision-making power, without accepting notice for the University, and by allowing an individual to speak off-the-record.
Confidential
The University Ombuds will protect the identity and confidential information shared by a contact to the extent permitted by law unless a threat of serious physical harm to the contact or to others exists.
- "Who Are the Ombuds" Video Transcript
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For decades, organizational ombuds have provided confidential, neutral, informal and independent guidance to people and organizations worldwide. In an era increasingly defined by conflict and accelerated change, Ombuds have an important service to offer.
Who are Ombuds?
They are trusted navigators engaged by people and organizations to inform critical decisions for a lasting and positive impact. An ombuds serves as a safe, off-the-record resource for employees, students, faculty, managers, executives and citizens seeking ways to identify and address workplace issues and other concerns. They use their unique skillset to help people develop options for addressing these issues separate from, but often complementing the work of HR, legal and compliance.
Ombuds today understand that addressing a difficult issue is often the crucible through which individuals and organizations must pass before fairness, positive change and progress can be achieved. The modern ombuds empowers individuals to work through conflicts and concerns and helps organizations examine risks, strengthen culture and address issues that stand in the way of achieving their goals. To that end, ombuds facilitate a journey beyond the issue or conflict. Those they serve emerge transformed, empowered and prepared to reach their full potential.
For any organization in need of at trusted resource to help navigate today’s complex social and work environment, the modern ombuds is a transformative force toward more ethical, engaged, fair and empowered organizations and communities around the world.
International Ombuds Association
www.ombudsassociation.org
Contact the Ombuds if you have a problem, concern, or issue and:
- You don't know where to go for help.
- You've been there, done that, and gotten nowhere.
- You are reluctant to go through normal channels for assistance.
Schedule an Ombuds Consultation
Please note that if you wish to remain anonymous, you can book online by indicating "Anonymous" in the name field, but you will be required to provide a contact phone number where you can be reached regarding your appointment.
Charter
The University of Virginia Ombuds Office was established in 1998 to provide an independent, impartial, informal, and confidential resource for current faculty, staff, and students to help foster an environment of respect, honesty, fairness, integrity, and compassion as well as to bolster a supportive working and learning climate at the University. The University Ombuds Charter reaffirms the purpose for which the Ombuds Office is established, defines the terms, conditions, and principles on which the Ombuds Office is created, and describes the privileges, responsibilities, and authority of the University Ombuds.