Charter
At Connecticut College, our Staff and Faculty Ombudsperson holds to the standards of practice of the International Ombudsman Association. The four pillars of that standard are:
Independence. The ombudsperson operates independently from other organizational entities and holds no other position within the organization that might give rise to an actual or perceived conflict of interest. The ombudsperson exercises sole discretion over its office operations, staff, and budget.
Neutrality and Impartiality. The ombudsperson advocates for fair and equitable processes but remains unaligned with any individual.
Confidentiality*. The ombudsperson does not disclose any information brought to its office without the permission of the individual who has confided in the office. The ombudsperson is classified as a confidential resource under Title IX. *The only exception to this commitment to confidentiality is in the event that the ombudsperson learns of an imminent risk of serious harm to any person (self or other), or to the safety of the college community, and there is no other reasonable option but to disclose the confidence.
Informality. The ombudsperson serves as an off-the-record resource, and has no authority to make binding decisions, mandate policies, conduct formal investigations, or adjudicate issues for the organization.
Annual Reports
We believe in the value of transparency with regard to our community and the conflicts we face. Beginning with the 2021-2022 year, all annual reports for the Office of Conflict Resolution and Ombuds Services will be made public.