Ombudsperson and University Troubleshooters Program

Has your student ever needed guidance on how to address a situation such as grade appeals, class withdrawal, financial assistance, or a health problem? Has he or she ever looked for clarification on a campus policy or procedure, but did not know where to go? Have you, as the parent, tried to provide advice on how to approach a concern but needed additional clarification? If your answer is ‘yes' to any of these questions, you and your student should consider accessing the Ombudsperson and University Troubleshooters Program.

The Ombudsperson and University Troubleshooter program was established to open channels of communication between students and the university community by providing an identifiable person to listen to student concerns. The objective of the program is to provide assistance to students seeking help to resolve academic and administrative matters. Students are given the opportunity to interact with faculty and administrators who will listen, answer questions, and interpret policies/procedures that address the concern or issue.

The University Troubleshooters are faculty members and administrators who serve as first responder, on behalf of their departments, and provide assistance to student seeking help. They are extremely knowledgeable and often can resolve the scenario at their level. When regular channels have not brought a resolution to the situation and after you have spoken the appropriate university troubleshooter, an ombudsperson should be contacted.

The ombudsperson facilitates a voluntary process and approaches each situation with an impartial, confidential and informal mindset. It is important to note that the ombudsperson does not bypass or circumvent departments or classroom instruction. It does not eliminate certain structured grievance and appellate mechanism already established by the university.

Our slogan is "S.T.O.P and Come See Us First." We do not want UM students to feel as though they must navigate the university system on their own. If a student has a question or concern, we encourage them to see us first. We also suggest starting early. By meeting with us, we can clarify the concern, identify possible solutions, and refer them to the appropriate campus resources.

For further information, please feel free to visit www.miami.edu/ombudsperson. The website provides access to the University Troubleshooters directory. Students may also find the online case submission form which goes directly to an ombudsperson. Dr. Gail Cole-Avent, the University Ombudsperson, addresses administrative/non-academic concerns. Mr. V. Chunoo, the Academic Ombudsperson, addresses academic concerns.