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Why contact the Ombuds

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It is rarely too late and never too early to contact the Ombuds Office for consultation and support. The Ombuds is a safe, confidential space to discuss concerns that are impacting your life at Stanford, and will act as your "thought partner,” assisting you to explore options and resources available to support you.

Most people reach out to the Ombuds seeking advice on how to manage an interpersonal conflict, whether with a peer, a manager, a direct report, a professor or a student. Individuals also reach out for support managing conflicts within their workgroup; to discuss concerns regarding abrasive or disrespectful behavior, unfair treatment, discrimination, harassment, or just because they have questions about Stanford policies that they prefer to be answered in a confidential setting. 

Common Reasons to Reach Out:

Faculty

  • Conflict with a colleague, a student or between members in their lab
  • Appointment, reappointment and promotion issues
  • Intellectual property and authorship concerns
  • Title IX or other policy questions
  • OCS concerns
  • Ethical or research misconduct issues

Students

  • OCS questions
  • Academic issues, including grade disputes, graduation issues, suspension and dimissal
  • Disability accommodation or discrimination issues
  • Title IX or other policy questions or concerns
  • Housing issues
  • Conflicts with other students or within student groups

Staff and Postdocs

  • Conflict with a manager, direct report, in a workgroup or with a peer
  • Harassment, discrimination, microaggressions and disability accommodation
  • Questions on Stanford policy
  • Performance-related questions and grievance rights or concerns of unfair treatment
  • Compensation and benefits issues
  • Research misconduct issues

What the Ombuds Does:

  • Meet with visitors in confidential one-on-one meetings of 45-60 minutes to listen to their concerns and identify and evaluate options for addressing them
  • Coach individuals on how to manage a difficult situation or prepare for a challenging conversation
  • Provide information on university policies and makes referrals to other university resources
  • Conduct informal mediations between individuals in conflict. 
  • Provide group facilitation services and workshops on conflict navigation
  • Conduct confidential climate surveys and interviews, including summaries of concerns and recommendations on how to address them
  • Help to informally resolve concerns of unfairness or bureaucratic entanglements
  • Provide feedback to university officials on trends and makes recommendations for policy or institutional changes when appropriate. See the Ombuds most recent Annual Report (PDF)

The Ombuds does not: 

  • Offer legal advice or psychological counseling
  • Accept formal complaints
  • Conduct formal investigations 
  • Participate in any formal meeting or process
  • Serve as an advocate for any person or entity
  • Make decisions for anyone
  • Testify in any judicial or administrative proceeding 
  • Put the university on "notice" of any legal claim
  • Address concerns unrelated to Stanford University
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Thank you for taking the time to listen ... and for your validation and your kindness and experience throughout….Your role is so very important and it is good to know that there is an objective, impartial, confidential safety net one can fall back on if they need guidance in situations like these.