The ombuds office at Hampshire College is a resource operating to ensure that all members of the faculty and staff receive fair and equitable treatment. The ombudsperson acts as an impartial and informal source of assistance to those who believe themselves to have been treated unfairly. The ombuds services are confidential,* independent, neutral, and informal.

By listening to concerns, the ombudsperson helps visitors identify and explore acceptable solutions to concerns that meet the needs of the visitor and the institution. The ombuds office provides a safe environment for the discussion of issues and concerns: the office does not keep formal College records, perform formal investigations, or advocate for either one party or another, but advocates for fairness.

* There are exceptions to the pledge of confidentiality. Please see the “Guiding Principles” section below. Please also note that by choosing to use the office of the ombudsperson you are agreeing to these “Guiding Principles,” and you also agree not to ask the ombudsperson to breach any of the outlined principles.

Contacting the Ombuds Office
Contacting the ombudsperson is voluntary and can be a resource for information as well as services. Services provided by the ombudsperson include facilitation, informal mediation, conflict management training, conciliation, coaching in methods to approach situations, and the venue to listen to issues without passing judgment.

The ombuds office is located on the second floor of the Harold F. Johnson Library; office hours are on Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and by appointment. While walk-in visitors are always welcome, arranging a time to meet will insure the ombudsperson is available as well allowing you to pick a day and time that works best with your schedule.

Please remember that email should NOT be relied upon as a resource for confidential communication; the ombudsperson will make every effort, in accordance with The International Ombudsman Association’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, to ensure privacy, but email is not appropriate for confidential communications.

Mission of the Ombuds Office
The ombuds office is a neutral, independent, informal, and confidential resource to facilitate fair and equitable resolutions to concerns and problems that arise for the faculty and staff at Hampshire College.

Guiding Principles and Standards of Practice
The Hampshire College ombuds is a member of The International Ombudsman Association (IOA) and practices according to the IOA Code of Ethics (Adobe PDF Download-posted January 2007) and IOA Standards of Practice (Adobe PDF Download- posted October 2009).

The International Ombudsman Association (IOA) is the largest international organization of organizational ombuds practitioners in the world, representing over 500 members from the United States and across the globe. It was formed in July 2005 as a merger of two former organizations, The Ombudsman Association (TOA) and University and College Ombuds Association (UCOA).