The Office of the Ombuds is not a replacement or substitute for formal grievances, investigative, and appeal processes provided by the university. Conversations with the ombuds are confidential and considered off-the-record.
The office functions outside the scope of the formal grievance process and other formal proceedings. We may make informal inquiries but we do not conduct formal investigations. We may refer employees to campus resources with investigatory powers, including Employee and Labor Relations, Judicial Affairs, the Academic Senate, or the Whistleblower Locally Designated Official (LDO).
If an employee uses the Office of the Ombuds, the ombuds will not act as a witness or provide testimony in any type of proceeding, performance review, or process. Additionally, the Office does not accept notice on behalf of the University, nor does it keep formal records. While the ombuds can and does make recommendations regarding the establishment and revision of policies, the ombuds plays no formal role in enforcing or implementing policy.
