Ombudsperson
Role and purpose | Visting the ombudsperson | Confidentiality | Code of ethics | Other resources |
Frank R. Baskind, Ph.D.
Certified Organizational Ombudsman PractitionerSM
University Ombudsperson for Faculty and Staff
Virginia Commonwealth University
Harris Hall, Room 5148
Richmond, Virginia 23284-2015
E-mail: ombuds@vcu.edu
Phone: (804) 828-1040
Virginia Commonwealth University's ombudsperson is a designated confidential and informal dispute resolution practitioner whose major function is to provide assistance to VCU faculty, staff and postdoctoral trainees. The ombudsperson is an advocate for fairness.
The ombudsperson is independent of VCU's normal reporting and managerial processes. This position listens to complaints, provides information, facilitates communication and helps arrange mediation or conflict resolution between or among members of VCU's faculty, staff and postdoctoral trainees.
Confidentiality
Visitors to this office can safely "vent" to the ombudsperson. All conversations and written materials are confidential unless the visitor to the office provides specific permission to discuss the issue with others. The only exception to maintaining such confidentiality is when the ombudsperson has determined that an imminent threat of serious harm exists to the visitor or others.
No employee shall suffer loss of pay for reasonable time spent in bringing a complaint to the ombudsperson. No individual shall be retaliated against for using the services of the ombudsperson.
The meaning of "ombuds"
The term "ombuds" is a Swedish word that refers to the people's representative, an appointed person who has a charge or commission. On this website, the term "ombuds" is used interchangeably with "ombudsperson."
International Ombudsman Association
The International Ombudsman Association was formed following the merger of the University and College Ombuds Association and The Ombudsman Association. IOA is the largest international association of professional organizational ombuds practitioners in the world, representing more than 500 members from the U.S. and across the globe.
History
VCU appointed its first ombudsperson in July 2006, to serve as an alternative channel for communication and resolving issues.
Dr. Frank Baskind, former Dean of the VCU School of Social Work (1992-2008) was appointed in July 2008. Dr. Baskind is a Certified Organizational Ombudsman PractitionerSM (CO-OPSM), certified by the IOA Board of Certification.
