The fundamental role of an ombudsperson is to help resolve complaints or conflicts independently, impartially, confidentially, and informally.
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Office of the Ombudsperson
Ombudsperson: Diana Romero
The fundamental role of an ombudsperson is to help resolve complaints or conflicts independently, impartially, confidentially, and informally. At CUNY SPH, the Ombudsperson is an elected member of the faculty, staff, or administration* who independently (1) works with SPH’s tax-levy† faculty and staff to explore and assist them in determining options to help resolve conflicts, problematic issues or concerns, and (2) bring systemic concerns to the attention of SPH’s administration for resolution.
The Ombudsperson will preserve the confidentiality of those faculty and staff members seeking services, will maintain a neutral/impartial position with respect to the concerns raised, will work at an informal level, and is independent of SPH’s formal organizational structures. The Ombudsperson will refrain from sharing confidential information with others, except with the express consent of the individuals seeking services and to the extent allowed by law.
While the Ombudsperson is available to meet with faculty and staff members, some other resources that can be consulted include but are not limited to:
- Faculty and Sfaff Wellness Resources
- Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Policy
- Anti-Racism at CUNY SPH
- Public Safety
- CUNY Legal Affairs
- CUNY Policies and Resources
The Ombudsperson does not engage in student concerns as there are several avenues that specifically serve students. In addition to the information available on the Student Services web page, some specific resources include but are not limited to:
- Student Academic Resources
- Office of Accessibility Services
- Counseling and Wellness Services
- Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Policy
- Student Emergency Fund
Seeking Assistance
Faculty and staff members interested in reaching out to the Ombudsperson can do so by either sending an email to diana.romero@sph.cuny.edu with a general description of the issue or by scheduling an appointment to meet and discuss the issue at that time. A meeting can be scheduled here.
Resources
The Office of the Ombudsperson offers a variety of resources to assist individuals in conflict resolution. Conflict has been described as “perceived divergence of interest, a belief that the parties’ aspirations are incompatible,” which can be disruptive in one’s work and affect their health. Thus, efforts to address conflict can potentially improve one’s work environment as well as their wellbeing. Below are some resources that may be helpful in resolving conflict in addition to or in lieu of outreach to the Ombudsperson. This list will be updated periodically.
- 14 Conflict Resolution Strategies for the Workplace
- Why there’s so much conflict at work and what you can do to fix it
- How to tackle workplace conflict head on
- 8 essential tips to resolve conflict in the workplace
- Resolving team conflict: How to manage conflict between your team members
References for the above resources can be provided by the Office of the Ombudsperson upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Ombudsman works with SPH’s tax-levy faculty and staff to explore and assist in determining options to help resolve conflicts, problematic issues, or concerns by:
- Providing a comfortable and confidential atmosphere to listen, understand the issue of concern, and your perspective
- Assisting in evaluating your options for resolution
- Providing guidance or coaching in dealing with other parties
- Referring to one or more formal SPH, CUNY or other resources that can help resolve the issue, if necessary
- Confidentially voicing concerns raised and creating an awareness among appropriate SPH decision-makers
- Serving as a source of detection/early warning of new issues and for suggestions to the administration for systemic change to improve existing processes or create new ones
The Ombudsperson does not:
- Participate in formal investigations or play a role in a formal issue resolution process
- Serve in other organizational roles that would compromise their neutrality
- Receive legal or official notices for SPH
- Make binding decisions or mandate policies
- Create or maintain records or reports for SPH
- Provide legal advice or psychological counseling
- Render judgments or make decisions on the issues raised
- Share information concerning any case unless permission is given by the person who raises the concern
One should contact the Ombudsperson when they:
- Need information or assistance in resolving a concern
- Are unsure on how to proceed or what options are available to resolve an issue
- Feel their concerns have not been adequately addressed through formal or other informal channels
- Don’t know where else to go
You can voice your problems, concerns, or complaints in a confidential and non-judgmental environment to explore your options to resolve the issue.
The information provided to the Ombudsperson is confidential and notes are destroyed after the issue is resolved or within one month of no activity, so that no information is kept on file.
*Only members of the CUNY SPH faculty, staff or administration compensated by NYS tax-levy are eligible to serve as Ombudsperson.
†Includes SPH full- and part-time faculty and staff but does not include RF-funded positions.