91´óÉñ

Ombuds Question of the Day

Ombuds day celebrations include a featured question of the day, Monday through Friday, the week of Ombuds Day. A prize will be awarded daily to the individual who emails the correct answer to me at ombuds@grinnell.edu, on the day of the featured question.

#1 Monday, October 6: When and where was the first college/university ombuds office established in the United States?
 

Although ombudsing long predates the establishment of organizational ombuds offices on American college campuses, the first U.S. campus ombuds office opened in 1966 at Eastern Montana University (no longer operating as such).
 
You can read more online in the . Author, Ryan Smith, is a practitioner with the Michigan State University ombuds team. Although not the first U.S. campus ombuds office, it was established early on and is the longest serving, continually operating office. The team, headed by Shannon Lynn Burton, is understandably proud of their history.
 

#2 Tuesday, October 7: When was the 91´óÉñ Office of the Ombuds established and chartered? By whom?
 

The office was established under the leadership of President Raynard Kington in February of 2013 with Chinyere Ukabiala appointed as the inaugural Ombuds.
  Chinyere, who retired in 2024, chartered the office in accordance with IOA ethical principles and standards of practice. She and President Kington co-signed the charter in December of 2014.
 

#3 Wednesday, October 8: Two organizations, the University and College Ombuds Association (UCOA) and The Ombudsman Association (TOA) merged to form the International Ombuds Association (IOA) in what month and year?
 

UCOA and TOA merged to create IOA in July of 2005. Your Ombuds, Deborah, was mentored into the profession, under UCOA standards of practice, while at Portland State University. The office has since been shuttered.
 

#4 Thursday, October 9: What International Ombuds Association committee do I co-chair?
 

Elaine Shaw and I co-chair the Eligibility Committee for Individual Practitioner certification.
 
Elaine and I are both credentialed as Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioners (CO-OP®) and are ushering in a new model of credentialing, effective beginning May of this year.
 
There are currently 150 credentialed practitioners listed in IOA’s member directory. With the new model, which separates practitioner skill (individual certification) from environmental practice factors (program certification) we anticipate an uptick in applicants for individual certification. Opportunity for program/office certification was rolled out this September.
 

#5 Friday, October 10: In addition to being located in Goodnow Hall, I have two points of connection with Goodnow. What are they? Hint: something to do with two states mentioned in this
 

Massachusetts is my home-state.
 
I worked at a University in South Dakota where pink sandstone was a feature of several grand, older buildings.