Topic Area: Student Success
Presented by: Ryan Smith, Shannon Burton
Abstract:
Where do students turn when they are not sure how to handle a conflict they are experiencing in a course, when they feel caught within the university’s bureaucracy, or when they are unsure how to navigate a university policy? Who can faculty or staff members contact when they want to discuss a student related issue in a confidential space? Students who do not feel as though they are being heard or that the institution is not taking their concerns seriously may not ultimately be successful. Student frustrations may surface in academic progress, or they may simply leave the university. The Office of the University Ombudsperson is a confidential, neutral, independent, and informal resource for students and for other university community members to discuss student related concerns. In this presentation, we will discuss the role of the Ombudsperson’s office in fostering student success, and how we serve as a partner to other offices and individuals on campus to ensure that students are being heard and that they feel as though their concerns are being taken seriously. We will consider some hypothetical examples for when visitors may find their way to our office, and then discuss how we would assist them in resolving or navigating their issues.