Stanford
Office of the Ombuds
Poppies

Welcome to the University Ombuds Office

Your path from problem to plan starts here.

What is an Ombuds

The University Ombuds is a safe and confidential place for faculty, students, staff and postdocs to discuss their Stanford-related concerns. The Ombuds will listen without judgment; provide information on Stanford policies and procedures; connect you to other resources, and work with you to develop a plan to address your concerns, or manage a conflict you are experiencing.

This office serves faculty, staff, students and postdocs at all Schools and Centers other than the School of Medicine. If you are affiliated with the School of Medicine, please contact the SOM Ombuds Office.

Please note that Stanford Health Care and the Stanford Hospitals are separate legal entities and are not served by either office. Any patient concerns regarding Stanford Health Care should be directed to Guest Services.

Main Quad, palm trees, Hoover Tower

Thank you for the conversation today. I appreciated your contextual perspective and your reflective listening. I now have a clearer plan for my next steps.

Ethics and Standards of Practice

The Ombuds adheres to the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) Standards of Practice (PDF) and Code of Ethics (PDF). This means that the Ombuds' services are:

Independent

The Ombuds operates independently from any other office or department at Stanford and has sole discretion regarding how the office operates to fulfill its mission.

Impartial

The Ombuds is “neutral” and not an advocate for any party in a dispute, regardless of their association with Stanford. The Ombuds considers the interests and concerns of all parties and seeks ways to create mutual understanding and resolve disputes with the purpose of helping to achieve a fair and equitable outcome.

Informal

Ombuds' services are informal. The Ombuds has no formal authority to change any decision or policy at Stanford, nor does she conduct formal investigations or accept formal complaints on behalf of the university. The Ombuds can explain and clarify the formal processes available at Stanford, but she does not have a role in them. Talking with the Ombuds does not put Stanford “on notice” of any potential legal claim or policy violation. If you wish to let Stanford know of a potential ethical, policy or legal violation, the Ombuds will work with you to find the proper channel for making your complaint.

Confidential

Confidentiality is essential to the work of the Ombuds. The Ombuds will not identify you or discuss your concerns with anyone without your permission. The only exception to confidentiality is if the Ombuds believes that disclosure of information is necessary in order to prevent an imminent harm.