SEHD OMBUDS
The School of Education and Human Development Ombuds provides faculty and staff with a voluntary, informal, and confidential resource for dealing with work related issues. The Ombuds help people identify options to discuss questions, provide conflict management coaching, and brainstorm options for solving issues related to one’s full and successful participation as a member of the SEHD community.
Guiding Principles
The School of Education and Human Development Faculty and Staff Ombuds are guided and informed by the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the International Ombudsman Association. The Ombuds is committed to these four principles:
- Confidentiality – The Ombuds holds information in confidence and does not disclose communication unless given permission by the employee, in the event of risk of imminent harm, as required by law, or when there is an allegation related to racial discrimination and sexual harassment.
- Neutrality – The Ombuds remains unaligned and impartial and does not advocate for any individual or entity.
- Informality – As an informal resource, the Ombuds does not participate in any formal process related to concerns brought to the office’s attention.
- Independence – The Ombuds is independent in structure, function and appearance and does not report on cases to any administrator within CEHD except as aggregate data that protects the visitor.
Common Reasons for Visiting an Ombuds
- Advice on having difficult conversations
- Clarification of a policy or process
- Cultural misunderstandings or conflicts
- Incivility in the workplace
- Concerns about procedural fairness or due process
- Understanding policies and procedures
- Interpersonal conflicts
- Performance review/Tenure and Promotion
- Ethical dilemmas
- Work-life balance
- Concerns about unfair treatment
- Concerns about procedural fairness or due process
- Serve as a neutral and confidential listener, information resource, and advisor
- Explain established policies and procedures of the department, college, and university, including the formal grievance process
- Brainstorm possible paths through conflict and concerns
- Listen to issues or concerns without judgment
- Identify relevant policies and resources that might be helpful to you
- Provide mediation and facilitation services, as the Ombuds deems appropriate
- Provide conflict management and resolution strategies Identify patterns, trends, or problem areas, and recommends revisions and improvements to College Leadership
- Take sides or advocate for any individual, group, or the university
- Tell visitors what to do
- Participate in or facilitate formal grievance procedures
- Conduct formal investigations
- Make or change University decisions, rules, or policies
- Overrule a decision or supersede the authority of another University official
- Provide psychological counseling
- Provide legal advice
- Respond to formal complaints or conduct formal investigations
Contact us to Schedule an Ombuds Meeting
- Contact by phone: (979) 845-4691
- Contact by email: SEHD-ombuds@tamu.edu
Call or email for general questions or scheduling. Providing detailed information via email about the reasons for your visit with the Ombuds is discouraged since confidentiality cannot be ensured.
Appointments can take place in-person or via secure online video conferencing software. In some cases, visiting with a SEHD Ombuds may identify a solution after one short visit. More complicated cases can involve multiple visits.
Staff Ombuds
- Vacant
Faculty Ombuds
- Vacant