Structure & Guidelines

Please familiarize yourself with UNCSA Regulation 632 Ombuds Office.

A. Scope:
The Ombuds deals with concerns brought by faculty, staff, or administrators.

B. Structure:
The Ombuds is hired and his or her performance assessed by the Chancellor and the Ombuds Committee consisting of two faculty, two staff, and two administrators.

The Faculty Council elects the faculty members, Staff Council elects the staff members and the Chancellor appoints the administrative members.

C. Responsibility:
The Ombuds relies on clarification, fact-finding, persuasion, and conciliation to resolve concerns, and recommends procedures to be followed.  The Ombuds does not mediate, and has no judgmental or punitive power.

D. Records:
No records other than statistical data are created or retained.

E. Reporting and Duties:

1. The Ombuds reports to the Chancellor for budgetary purposes and administrative purposes only and is limited to summary reports or recommendations that do not include or involve any specific client information.
2. The Ombuds shall be independent of, and not associated with, either past or present, any administrative or other office of UNCSA.
3. The Ombuds shall prepare an annual report to the Chancellor and the Ombuds Committee described below (see section F) for the purpose of annual evaluation. The Ombuds is encouraged to make recommendations to all parts and levels of the organization for improving UNCSA procedures (see #5).
4. The duties of the Ombuds shall include:
   1. Dealing with concerns brought by administrators, faculty, or staff;
   2. Working with the parties involved to perform the functions outlined in the introductory paragraph;
   3. Recommending procedures to satisfy identified needs.
5. To perform these duties, the Ombuds shall operate from an Office described below, and shall have access to any appropriate UNCSA information that does not violate the rights of an individual to privacy.
6. The Ombuds shall rely on clarification, fact-finding, persuasion, and conciliation as described in the introductory paragraph. The Ombuds shall have no judgmental or punitive power.
7. The Ombuds shall undertake suitable training for the position as determined by the Ombuds Committee. This will include training and/or research in relevant UNC and UNCSA policies and procedures.  This will also include mediation training, even though the Ombuds will not perform mediations.
8. The Ombuds shall operate under the code of ethics and standards of practice of the International Ombudsman Association.

F. The Committee and the Office:

1. The Ombuds Office shall be evaluated by a Committee with the following constituency:
   1. Two faculty members elected by the Faculty Council, at least one of whom shall be a member of the Faculty Council;
   2. Two staff members elected by the Staff Council, at least one of whom shall be a member of the Staff Council.
   3. Two administrators appointed by the Chancellor;
   4. All members shall serve two-year terms.
   5. Terms will be staggered.  Half of the members of the first committee to serve will serve a one-year term to initiate staggered terms.
2. The duties of the Ombuds Committee shall include:
   1. Selecting the Ombuds;
   2. Overseeing the counseling work of the Ombuds through a continuous evaluation of his or her performance;
   3. Replacing the Ombuds should the need arise.
3. The Ombuds Committee shall select the Ombuds by a simple majority of the Committee, provided that the candidate receives at least one vote from the representatives of each constituency (faculty, staff, and administration). The performance of the Ombuds shall be reviewed annually.
4. The Ombuds Committee shall report to the Chancellor, Faculty Council and Staff Council.
5. The duties of the Ombuds relative to the Ombuds Committee shall be:
   1. To prepare and present a written yearly report to the Committee describing activities and suggested reforms of University procedures, and interim reports as needed;
   2. To carry out other activities requested or authorized by the Committee.
6. The Ombuds shall operate out of an office that shall be established with funds provided by UNCSA. These funds will provide for:
   1. The salary of a part-time Ombuds;
   2. Space, furnishings, supplies and travel, as necessary, to carry out the functions of the office.
   3. Training.
7. The Ombuds Office shall be established for a three-year trial period with a review by the Ombuds Committee of its effectiveness near the end of the three-year period.