Does this kind of situation sound familiar? Your department is moving offices. You really want the corner space – it’s got great windows and more room. However, even though you have a couple of years’ seniority over him, another colleague has been assigned the corner. You bring it up to your department chair, and she says it’s because he’s directing the undergraduate program. But, you think to yourself, I directed that program for three years and didn’t get a premium office. Of course, you reflect, your department wasn’t moving then. But on the other hand, your department chair and the new “corner-office-guy” are in the same discipline – could there be some favoritism going on? Generally, she’s pretty fair. But still . . . You think, “Gee, it would be nice to talk to a neutral person about this.”

UMKC’s Faculty Ombudsperson provides a neutral and impartial avenue to whom such questions can be brought. In my last blog post, I discussed the Ombud’s Standard of “Confidentiality.” This time, I’d like to cover “neutrality and impartiality.”

The International Association of Ombudsman’s Standard of Neutrality and Impartiality states, “The Ombudsman strives for impartiality, fairness, and objectivity in the treatment of people and the consideration of issues. The Ombudsman advocates for fair and equitably administered processes and does not advocate on behalf of any individual within the organization.”

There are a couple of important points to make here. First, if you came to me with your office space issue, I would listen to your story, help clarify your goal regarding the issue, and then help you generate options you might take to achieve your goal. Throughout this process, I won’t take sides – I won’t defend the department chair’s position, and I won’t tell you you’re right.

Neutrality allows all sides to be treated fairly and impartially. It’s not up to me to say who’s right. My job is to help you navigate the situation so you get the best outcome you can. Of course I can’t get you the corner office, but I could help you strategize discussions with your chair, investigate university policies around office allocations, or do other things that might clarify the situation and show you what your options are.

Second, as a neutral person, I can’t tell you what you should do, and I can’t tell your department chair who should get which office. My ombuds activities are outside any compliance process within the system. I don’t have a stake in how your issue is resolved.

Even though I’m a neutral party, I try to be as empathetic as I can. Since I’m a faculty member as well as an ombuds, I usually understand the issues, conflicts, and consequences that faculty face. Since I’ve been an administrator, I also know the pressures and constraints around which your department chair may be working. I try to use this knowledge to help you generate your best response to the issue.

Sometimes what faculty want is just an ear to listen. My goal is that by being a neutral and impartial listener, I can help you resolve your issues in efficient, productive, and civil ways.

So if you want to chat with a neutral and impartial person to try to resolve any work-related issue, please contact me at facultyombuds@umkc.edu. You can find more information on the Faculty Ombuds website.