The Ombuds Office operates under the Code of Ethics of the International Ombuds Association. Impartiality is one of the key ethical principles for an Ombuds. Impartiality, or neutrality, means that visitors to our office can expect that they will be treated even-handedly, and that we are not advocates for the individual or for the University. The goal is to be fair and objective as advocates for fair processes and civility.
While the Ombuds Office is a University department that reports to the University President and the Provost and Executive Vice President, the Office's description in its Office Charter allows the Ombuds to remain free from University interference when working to resolve your concern. We do not report information gained from individual visitors to the President or others, though we do discuss trends observed on campus (while being careful to protect confidentiality).