About our Office
History of the word Ombudsman
Ombudsman is from Swedish, a Germanic language in the same family as English, and man in Swedish corresponds to our word man. Ombud means “commissioner, agent,” coming from Old Norse umbodh, “charge, commission, administration by a delegacy,” umbodh being made up of um, “regarding,” and bodh, “command.”
In Old Norse an umbodhsmadhr was a “trusty manager, commissary.” In Swedish an ombudsman was a deputy who looked after the interests and legal affairs of a group such as a trade union or business. In 1809 the office of riksdagens justitieombudsman was created to act as an agent of justice, that is, to see after the interests of justice in affairs between the government and its citizens. This office of ombudsman and the word ombudsman have been adopted elsewhere, as in individual states in the United States.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved
History of our Office
The Ombuds office at Mount Holyoke College officially opened in 1988 to ensure that every member of the MHC community receives fair and equitable treatment. The ombudsperson acts as an impartial source of assistance to students, staff, faculty or any member of the Mount Holyoke College community who believe themselves to have been treated unfairly.
Office Location:
5 Safford Hall
South Hadley, MA 01075
Telephone: (413) 538-2413
Office Hours:
Monday: 9:30-3:30
Thursday: 9:30-3:30
Friday: 9:30-3:30
If these days and times do not work for you, please contact us for an appointment. Protecting your privacy is important to us. Please do not send confidential information via e-mail and be sure to let us know the best way of contacting you confidentially.
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