OMBUDS OFFICE
The Ombuds Office’s role is to assist in the informal resolution of concerns and complaints related to the application of university policies, rules and procedures. Also, the Office is responsible for promoting fairness in the university.
The Ombuds Office is:
- Independent of all the administrative structures of the university
- Confidential
- Impartial
- Accessible to members of the university community
For more information please read our Terms of Reference.
What the Ombuds Office does
- Provides information about existing policies, rules and procedures and makes suggestions about the appropriate avenue to follow to address concerns and complaints
- Assists community members to resolve concerns and complaints both quickly and informally
- Conducts an independent and objective inquiry of a complaint once the usual avenues have been exhausted
- Recommends solutions to help resolve concerns and conflicts
- Recommends improvements to university policies, rules and procedures that are unclear or unfair
What the Ombuds Office cannot do
- Act as an advocate and automatically take one side in a conflict
- Intervene in situations where a procedure already exists
- Deal with matters covered by a collective agreement
- Intervene in conflicts involving companies, organizations or individuals outside the university (but can often provide information or referral)
- Intervene in situations where we judge our involvement to be inappropriate
- Impose a decision
When to consult the Ombuds Office
You can give us a call or send us an email by completing the intake form. Our physical office is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but we are virtually open from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Our services are available in English and in French and are free of charge. We are always pleased to answer questions. Remember, the sooner you get information about a problem that you may be having, the easier it will be to resolve.
Please note that we make every effort to respond in one or two business days. However, the volume of requests and the current COVID-19 reality may add a few days to our response time. We thank you for your patience.
