Building MICA’s future Organizational Ombuds Function
MICA is collaborating with the College community and Pacifica Human Communications, LLC in the development of an organizational ombuds system.
The system will provide a trusted, confidential, and informal avenue of communications for all members of the campus community.
MICA’s vision for the ombuds system is an alternative channel to raise any community or work-related ideas, issues, or concerns in a safe, inclusive, and independent space using collaborative discussion and creative problem solving.
Below you’ll find answers to some of the frequently asked questions about MICA’s planned organizational ombuds system, as well as key milestones in its development.
Frequently Asked Questions
An organizational ombuds function is an alternative resource to raise and consider any work or community-related issue or concern. An ombuds provides a safe and neutral space to confidentially sound-out issues, discuss concerns about difficult situations, or address conflicts. It is defined by its Independence, Neutrality, Informality, and Confidentiality.
Independent—An organizational ombuds function operates independently from other parts of the organization. It does not report to any other program or department, including the president. The ombuds has sole discretion for the function’s budget, operation, and staff.
Neutral and Impartial—An ombuds has no agenda but for fair and equitable processes and improvements. An ombuds strives for objectivity in working with all people and issues; they do not represent or advocate on behalf of any individual or the organization.
Informal—An ombuds has no official authority from the organization and therefore is not a place of notice. This means they are not a place to make an official complaint. Working with an ombuds is voluntary. It is a place to launch dialogue; to consider options and choices that will fairly address the concern, with everyone’s interests. They do not participate in any formal processes or procedures.
Confidential—Conversations with the ombuds are off-the-record. Only with the explicit permission of the person raising the issue, and not always even then, may an ombuds disclose information. The only exception to this, at the ombuds discretion is the imminent risk of serious harm.
An ombuds works with any and all members of an organization. In their many roles they:
- Encourage people to bring forward issues and concerns
- Listen respectfully and impartially
- Generate options and choices for an individual to decide how to address their concerns
- Pursue fair process
- Refer other resources
- Explain policies and procedures
- Thought partner about difficult decisions or conversations
- Assist to create and apply practical solutions to make a positive difference
- Facilitate processes to assist all parties to an issue to find a mutually agreeable solution
- Coach, identify, and foster individual and organizational growth opportunities
- Offer unique, organization-wide objective perspectives
- Provide upward feedback to the organization about patterns or trends for attention, consideration, and correction
Anyone with a question, idea, concern or issue may contact the ombuds.
The reason for contacting the ombuds might be addressed with a single, quick call or email response. In other instances, the person might want to meet with the ombuds.
An ombuds listens, providing a respectful, fair, and safe space, without judgement or an agenda. Sounding out the situation with the ombuds, the person bringing forward the topic determines what they want to do, including if they want additional support from the ombuds or someone else. Margo Wesley's article, The Compleat Ombuds: A Spectrum of Resolution Services, provides a good overview about how the function operates.
Working with an ombuds is always voluntary. The International Ombudsman Association (IOA) has standards for both the function and the practitioner.
An organizational ombuds function would be another resource to build trust, expand understanding, resolve issues, and deepen communication at MICA. Many ombuds functions support organizational culture and transformation; surface serious problems; minimize risk; resolve issues as promptly, informally, and fairly as possible; and contribute to individual and organizational accountability.
Deeply listening to the community, MICA has taken practical steps to strengthen relationships among employees, students, and the broader community. In its concrete efforts to foster trust, communication, and the success of our institution, MICA decided to create an organizational ombuds system. This decision was announced in the July 15 Campus Memo from Samuel Hoi, President, and Gwen Davidson, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
The design phase will include writing a charter for the ombuds function. The charter serves as the agreement between the organization and the function. This document specifies how the independent, neutral, informal, and confidential function and practitioner operates, as well as the practices between the organization and the function. The charter for example will specify that while the ombuds operates independently, they will have direct access to the Office of the President.
The charter for the MICA ombuds function will align with and include the IOA Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
To commit to its success, the scope of personnel and support has been considered and will be supported as part of MICA’s operating expenses. The Charter will specify the ombuds function budget location.
The Connection Team is voluntary group of alumni, faculty, staff, and students who will meet three-times to support the Discovery Phase. They both share information to the broader MICA community about the organizational ombuds function concept, as well as provide feedback to deepen the understanding of what the College’s constituency groups are thinking and feeling.
Discovery Phase Timeline To-Date
Discovery Phase Next Steps
Related Documents
The articles below include useful information on organizational ombuds programs. Please note that survey findings will be available on this page in March.