The word "Ombudsman" is a Swedish term, originally used to describe someone who was charged with representing citizen concerns to the government and ensuring that they were fairly addressed. In the Swedish language, the word ?ombudsman? is gender-neutral, and can indicate a person of either gender. Today in the U.S. and around the world, various terms used to describe the function include ?Ombudsperson? and ?Ombuds?.
Hamline University is committed to providing students, faculty and staff with an opportunity to be heard and to resolve problems promptly and fairly.
The Ombudsman is a confidential, neutral and informal resource to whom students, faculty and staff can bring any university-related question, concern, or conflict. The Ombuds is an alternative to existing university problem-solving services and can help to surface concerns, resolve disputes, manage conflict, and educate individuals in more productive ways of communicating. The Ombudsman can function in a number of ways: as an impartial listener, as a resource for assistance, as a confidential advisor, as a facilitator of discussions or meetings and as an informal mediator or negotiator. Communications with the Ombudsman are entirely confidential, except in the case of imminent risk of serious harm. This confidentiality allows visitors to explore options and generate possible avenues for resolution without involving formal channels.
The Ombuds Office is not an office of notice for the university.
