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It is believed that the use of the formal grievance procedure can sometimes be avoided if there is an opportunity for both faculty, staff and administration to receive informal assistance and/or mediation, regarding a qualified employment dispute at an early stage.
Oklahoma State University acknowledges that resolving disagreements between employees is often more successful if issues and concerns are addressed at an early stage. To this end OSU Policy and Procedures Letter 2-0901 and 3-0747 describes the role of the Ombudsperson and how that individual can assist in facilitating the informal review of employment disputes for faculty and staff.
The Ombudsperson is a neutral party to whom employees can bring any work-related problems, concerns, or complaints that cannot be resolved through normal channels. The Ombudsperson will respect confidentiality when requested, will listen to the problem and discuss steps to take to help you reach a fair conclusion.
ü The Ombudsperson is informal, operating outside the usual review and/or appeal procedures.
ü The Ombudsperson is independent and neutral.
ü The Ombudsperson is impartial, taking a non-aligned role when hearing a problem or complaint.
ü The Ombudsperson is accessible to all faculty and staff.
ü The Ombudsperson is confidential, revealing a client’s identity only with that persons’ permission, except to the extent required by law.
Those people on the OSU Stillwater campus that are:
ü OSU Faculty member – full or part time;
ü OSU Staff member – full or part time and temporary;
ü OSU Administrator
The Ombudsperson has no power to order changes in rules, regulations, policies, procedures, or the behavior of others.
The Ombudsperson can be an information resource, offering guidance when you don’t know where to begin, or a last resort, offering help when regular channels have failed.
The Ombudsperson will have the authority to make informal recommendations to appropriate administrators and staff seeking assistance, which are intended to resolve disagreements presented by staff.
Recommendations from the Ombudsperson are intended to be confidential between the staff member and/or necessary administrator to the matter in dispute.
ü By listening carefully.
ü By helping to analyze the situation.
ü By identifying and explaining relevant university policies, procedures, and problem-solving channels.
ü By helping to define options.
ü By fact-finding.
ü By following up to make sure a concern is resolved.
ü By recommending changes in university policies or procedures.
ü By mediating conflicts
Mediation is an informal process whereby two parties sit down with an independent third person, known as a mediator. The mediator acts as a facilitator who helps the parties focus on the issues and who attempts to help the parties create solutions that are mutually acceptable to both parties.
The mediator does not have the authority to impose solutions to either side. See Section 1.03 of the Informal Ombudsperson Review of Qualified Faculty Employment Issues and Informal Voluntary Mediation of Qualified Faculty Employment Issues Policy 2-0901 and Section 1.03 of the Informal Ombudsperson Review of Qualified Staff Employment Issues and & Informal Voluntary Mediation of Qualified Staff Employment Issues Policy3-0747 for the mediation procedure.
Dr. Carolyn Hernandez
Director of Affirmative Action
408 Whitehurst
744-5371
