Columbia Ombuds: Who to Talk to When You Don’t Know Who to Talk To

You have a work conflict and aren’t sure how to resolve it. You want to ask for a raise but need advice on starting the conversation. Or you are stressed out by schoolwork and need to find help, but are not sure what resources are out there, let alone what office to approach.

These are among the many situations that the Columbia Ombuds office helps with. The Ombuds Office, founded in 1991, is available to everyone at Columbia to discuss academic or workplace concerns in a private, safe space. 

Joan Waters, Columbia’s ombuds officer, answers questions about the resource.

What is the Ombuds Office?

An ombuds office is a confidential, independent, informal, and impartial resource. There are ombuds offices in many different types of organizations.

What this means for someone at Columbia is that we give you a place to think out loud about a problem, whether it be a workplace, academic, interpersonal, or other issue.

We listen objectively and help you consider options for next steps with a problem, and we recommend campus resources you can go to for help, if you want to do so.

What do you offer that another listener or adviser may not?

We all have our cheerleaders— people whose first response when you tell them about a conflict is, “I can’t believe so-and-so did that.”  But sometimes it’s important to talk to someone who doesn’t take sides.

In the Ombuds Office, we talk the issue through and are here to help give some perspective.  We don’t investigate or advocate. We just listen and help brainstorm.

You say you are confidential. How can you assure people of that confidentiality? And do you ever escalate issues or report them to anyone?

We are not an agent of notice, and we do not report concerns.  One of the valuable aspects about our role is that, as an office, we have no authority and no ability to tell anyone what to do.

We won’t participate in any formal judicial or administrative hearings. We just offer an informal place to think out loud and prioritize thoughts.

We don’t even maintain records. The notes we take in meetings are just to process information and remember things. Those notes are kept under lock and key and shredded each month.

The only exception to full confidentiality is if we believe there is an imminent risk of serious harm—if visitors indicate that they are going to hurt themselves or others.

How many people do you see, and what sort of issues do they bring to you?

Since I started in April 2014, I have seen approximately 350 people, and about 25 percent have come from the medical center.

I’ve had an interesting breadth of questions from the simple to the complex. Students come to me to discuss grade disputes or housing issues. Employees who are going to request medical leave have come to me. They come because they want to know what that process is like and what they should prepare themselves for.

We can connect people with other offices that have the resources they need. For example, if people come because they are under a lot of pressure, we may refer them to the Office of Work/Life or Student Wellness for stress-management help.

Do you offer any other resources?

Our website has a host of information and online resources. The office also has a library of books on conflict resolution and workplace conflict. Those can give someone a head start on addressing issues.

We will be discussing our role and Ombuds Office resources at departmental meetings and to student groups.

Where are you located, and how can someone make an appointment?

We have two office locations—one at Morningside and one at the Medical Center at 154 Haven Ave., Room 412.  That phone is answered from 9–5, and we can make arrangements for appointments before or after business hours.  People can also come to either campus.

To make an appointment, you can call 304-7026, or contact us through our website.