OMBUDS
Our Guiding Principles
The Graduate School Ombuds promotes a harmonious campus community by providing a comfortable resource to help manage and resolve concerns or conflicts that affect members of the Virginia Tech Graduate School community. This comfort is established through an office that is independent, impartial, informal, and confidential, according to the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) Standards of Practice. Links to an external site.
These principles, along with the standards of practice, provide the ethical guidelines that are important for success in the role of the Ombuds.
Confidentiality |
Informality |
Impartiality |
Independence |
| Communication with the Ombuds is confidential. Conversations that take place with the Ombuds are strictly between the Ombuds and the visitor. The Ombuds will not disclose or be required to disclose any information that comes out of these conversations, unless given expressed permission by the visitor as a means to help move the situation forward in a constructive way. The only limit to this confidentiality is when it is necessary to address an imminent risk to public safety and/or harm to self or others. |
The Ombuds helps individuals seeking assistance to address concerns or resolve conflicts on an informal basis. Options and strategies to resolve the concern may be discussed, but you decide what options are most appropriate for you. The Ombuds does not participate in any formal processes and does not accept notice on behalf of the University. If you would like to pursue formal options, the Ombuds will help you identify the appropriate processes to help resolve your concern. |
The Ombuds provides objective and impartial guidance pertaining to all issues and concerns discussed in the office. The Ombuds is an advocate for fair process, but not a direct advocate for students, staff, faculty, or administration. While the Ombuds will provide guidance and seek to identify appropriate channels to resolve disputes, the Ombuds does not hold decision-making authority and cannot override decisions made by those with authority to make said decisions. |
The Ombuds reports to the Dean of the Graduate School, but operates the office independently. The Ombuds exercises sole discretion over whether or how to act regarding an individual’s concern, a trend, or concerns of multiple individuals over time. |
Want to know more?
Download: Graduate Orientation OMBUDS 2023.pdf Download Graduate Orientation OMBUDS 2023.pdf