After you connect with the Student Ombuds Office, the Ombuds will spend some time explaining the role of the office and addressing any urgent questions you have. After that, the Ombuds will:
- Listen intently and without judgement to understand and discuss challenges, complaints and concerns that you may share about the University, including its policies and procedures, the actions of others and unfair treatment;
- Offer information about relevant policies and procedures;
- Help you identify and evaluate different options to address your unique situations and decide what steps to take, if any;
- Provide a safe, confidential space where students feel respected and can speak openly to share their thoughts, concerns and questions;
- Answer questions or consult with others who can answer them;
- Connect visitors with offices, resources and services to create a more robust network;
- Coach visitors on conflict resolution skills;
- Facilitate communication between parties finding it difficult to solve a problem.
The Ombudsperson will not:
- Participate in formal grievance processes, hearings or investigations;
- Establish, change or override policies or academic or administrative decisions;
- Provide legal advice or serve as a substitute for anyone's lawyer;
- Provide clinical mental health treatment;
- Serve as an advocate for any person or party;
- Serve as an agent of notice for Central Michigan University;
- Keep official University files and records.