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Welcome to the Office of the Ombuds
The Office of the Ombuds provides guidance in dispute resolution for students and consultation services for all members of the College community who interact with students. While adhering to the principles of Independence, Impartiality and Confidentiality, the Office operates in the interest of fairness for all.
Aligned with the College Vision and Mission, the Ombuds Office seeks to promote student success and retention by collaborating with academic schools and student service departments to encourage or facilitate informal dispute resolution and student progression while upholding the integrity of the curriculum offered at Fanshawe College.
As part of the continuous quality improvement process, the Ombuds Office may also provide informal and formal recommendations to the College with the goal to achieve fair and equitable practices reflected in our policies and procedures. The Ombuds Office is funded jointly by the College and the Fanshawe Student Union.
How does the Ombuds assist students?
Fanshawe’s Ombuds is available to help facilitate resolutions, provide guidance on College policies and procedures and may collaborate with Academic Schools, Student Services and the FSU to explore alternative options that are fair to all parties involved. The Ombuds will:
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Listen and help to analyze your concerns respectfully;
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Brainstorm together with you to explore options or alternative solutions to help resolve your concerns informally, often negating the need for a formal Appeal.
In addition, the Ombuds may also:
- Connect with Academic units or Student Service departments with your permission;
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Provide referrals to a support person at the FSU who may help students write their appeals and may be available to accompany students during the appeals process;
- Make referrals to campus and community resources;
- Make informal or formal recommendations for revisions to College policies or procedures with the goal to promote fair and equitable practices.
Please note: The Ombuds does not act as an advocate or an adjudicator and operates under the Principles of independence, impartiality and confidentiality with the goal to achieve fairness for all parties involved.
How is the Ombuds confidential?
Protection of your privacy is very important and the Ombuds Office takes its commitment to confidentiality very seriously. Except in cases where there is potential for harm, the Ombuds will never reveal your identity or act on your behalf without your consent.
Facilitation
Conflict, whether in the workplace, or student-professor concerns, can be effectively resolved, and working relationships restored, through a process known as mediation.
What is facilitation and what happens during facilitation?
Facilitation is a problem-solving process that provides a way for two or more people to solve problems by talking to one another in a safe and controlled environment.
During facilitation, disputants discuss their viewpoints, including how they have been harmed or offended, and then work toward an agreement for solving the problem or conflict. A neutral third person, known as the facilitator, facilitates the discussion by helping both parties communicate what is important to them.
Facilitators are neutral to the conflict; they do not take sides nor do they determine how problems should be solved. Instead, they listen to each party's needs and interests and helps search for ways to solve the problem based on these needs. The facilitator encourages a "give-and-take" movement between the disputants, with a win-win outcome as the ultimate goal.
What are the benefits of facilitation?
- The people experiencing the problem are the people solving the problem;
- Early intervention often halts the damaging effects of escalating conflict;
- It produces solutions which meet individual specific needs;
- The solutions are private and confidential;
- It can build or restore working relationships;
- It teaches a process for resolving future conflicts;
- It promotes understanding between people and (re)builds trust.
Annual reports
The Office of the Ombuds is required to create yearly documentation to be made available to the public, showing its findings, trends, and any other relevant notes.
Listing of reports by academic year
Additional resources
Fanshawe College and the Office of the Ombuds provide many resources to help students avoid or resolve disputes. Please follow the links below to learn more about the resources we provide.
Additional resources
Contact the Office of the Ombuds
**Please email ombuds@fanshawec.ca with your inquiry or if you are a student and would like to book an appointment, please visit the Ombuds Online Services page to book a phone meeting or virtual appointment.**
Rose Padacz, Ombuds
Office of the Ombuds
Phone: 519-452-4430 x4755
Email: ombuds@fanshawec.ca
Room B1050-1, London Campus
View campus map.