Welcome
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.
Our services are confidential*, independent, neutral and informal (meaning outside the “normal” channels of The College). The ombudsperson helps visitors find and explore acceptable solutions to problems and concerns that meet the needs of both the visitor and the institution. The ombudsperson uses the powers of negotiation, personal influence and judgment to address issues. Services provided by the ombudsperson may include facilitation, mediation, conciliation, coaching in methods to approach situations as well as the ability to listen to issues without passing judgment.
The ombudsperson considers all sides of a question or complaint in an informal and objective way in order to help people understand their options and make informed choices about courses of action. The office's autonomy and neutrality makes it possible for the ombudsperson to elicit full cooperation of all members of the college community in addressing concerns.
* The only exception to this pledge of confidentiality is where the Ombuds determines that there is an imminent risk of serious harm.
|
