Ombuds Program
An impartial, informal, independent, and confidential resource that faculty and students can access when conflicts arise.
About
Cascadia College believes that every individual should be supported in lifelong learning. The College offers many resources to support learning in general and the faculty-student classroom relationship in particular. The Ombuds is another tool in the toolbox. The Cascadia Ombuds is an impartial, informal, independent, and confidential resource that faculty and students can access when conflicts arise.
The Ombuds has two main roles at Cascadia:
- assist faculty and students with informal conflict resolution by opening channels of communication and empowering them to make decisions, and
- identify patterns and systemic issues that allow leadership to continue finding and creating resources to support our campus community.
Scope of Services: What does an Ombuds do?
The primary function of the Cascadia Ombuds is to assist faculty and students with opening communication channels to facilitate conflict resolution through various tools.
The Ombuds will:
- Listen actively and non-judgmentally
- Clarify issues and policy
- Brainstorm next steps
- Provide resources, including coaching, training, and referrals to other Cascadia offices and services
- Facilitate conversations, including mediation and shuttle diplomacy, with the parties’ consent
What is not included in the Ombuds role?
The Ombuds differs from other campus services and offices in important ways – and crucially, does not supersede them. An Ombuds works collaboratively with various departments and officers at the campus, such as Human Resources, Title IX, Conduct, and the CARE Team. These offices have legally mandated procedures in place to address various grievances. The Ombuds operates distinctly, offering a safe space for problem solving and referring issues outside their scope of authority to the appropriate campus resources. The Ombuds, thus, supplements services offered by the College without replacing formal and informal processes available at the College.
The Ombuds will not:
- Decide matters - the Ombuds is not a decision-maker
- conduct formal investigations
- make findings of fact
Now what — where do I go?
Nothing in the College’s procedures has changed with this addition. Unsure where to go? Start with any student support office, continue following what you have always done, or reach out to the Ombuds office. Cascadia’s offices work collaboratively and will connect you to the right resource.
Contacting the Ombuds Office
Contact ombuds@cascadia.edu to schedule an appointment with the Ombuds office. To protect confidentiality, please limit the email information to your availability. You can also reach us by phone.