Policy on Ombudspersons for Graduate Affairs
Handbook Table of Contents | Constitution | Faculty Policies | Degree Policies
Policy on Ombudspersons for Graduate Affairs
Handbook Table of Contents | Constitution | Faculty Policies | Degree Policies
Adopted by College Council 7 December, 2001
History and Need:
The need in the Mellon College of Science to consider the appointment of departmental ombudspersons for graduate affairs
became apparent during preparations for the 1999 MCS Advisory Board and from the results of the university-wide Graduate
Student Survey conducted the same year. These findings indicated that many graduate students felt that there was no
faculty member to consult when they had academic problems, especially when a student did not have a good relationship with
his or her thesis advisor. It was also clear that students tended to identify specific members of the faculty whom they
felt comfortable approaching when needed.
Despite the tendency to identify and approach certain faculty members, many students were concerned that their interests
and privacy be protected and that the specific faculty member that they approached be in a position to assist them. These
circumstances have lead students on occasion not to talk over their problems. In some cases, relatively minor issues have
grown into problems that take up significant amounts of time on the part of students, faculty members, department heads,
the Dean, and administrators at the university level.
Therefore, it is in the interest of the graduate students, the faculty, and the administration of the college to have each
department consider the appointment of an ombudsperson as an intermediary to assist in resolving problems in a timely
manner.
Qualities and Responsibilities:
An ombudsperson will function as an intermediary between graduate students and faculty members, maintaining when necessary
the anonymity of individuals and the confidential nature of a problem. As part of the role of intermediary, the
ombudsperson should be an important resource for information in identifying options and resolving conflicts that involve
a graduate student. Examples of situations that may elicit involvement of an ombudsperson include discussing disagreements
between a graduate student and a faculty member over issues of academic integrity, over the scope of a student's research
or teaching responsibilities, over possible conflicts of interest, or over difficult situations in the classroom. In a
natural but not essential extension of the role of intermediary, the ombudsperson could be proactive, first in identifying
potential problems in the course of day-to-day interactions with faculty members and graduate students and, subsequently,
in facilitating timely communication between parties that would prevent the problem from actually occurring. Such
communication typically will be between the ombudsperson and a student or between the ombudsperson and a faculty member.
Only occasionally would the need arise for all three to meet. In particularly sensitive or difficult situations, the
department head will assist the ombudsperson in carrying out these duties.
In order to fulfill these responsibilities, an ombudsperson should be willing and able to talk to students and to faculty
members when the need arises as well as to determine the options that are available in a given situation. The ombudsperson
should be identified clearly as an impartial individual who can help resolve problems and whose other duties in the
department would not lessen his or her appreciation for the needs and interests of both graduate and faculty members.
Consideration of an Appointment:
In order to support more fully the graduate students of the Mellon College of Science, each department of the college will
consider periodically the appropriateness of appointing an ombudsperson for graduate affairs. The consideration by a
department of the appropriateness of making such an appointment should include input from both the graduate students and
the faculty of the department and should be undertaken at least once between visits of the Advisory Board of that
department. If such consideration results in a decision to appoint an ombudsperson, the term and manner of selection of
the ombudsperson should be left to the individual department, but input both from the faculty and graduate students should
be sought in these matters.
The Dean of MCS will designate a member of the college administration and/or the MCS faculty to serve as coordinator and
consultant to departmental ombudspersons and will provide logistical support to the ombudspersons.