Navigating a tricky situation in your office?
Trying to understand what university policies or processes apply to a concern?
Wanting help from a university oversight office, like the Office of Equal Opportunity or Human Resources, but not ready to start a formal process?
Sounds like you need to visit the University of Utah’s Office of the Ombuds!
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, impartial, independent and informal resource for anyone who studies or works at the U who needs a place to discuss concerns.
At the U, there are four ombuds— Karen M. Gunning, Patricia K. Kerig, Maureen Murtaugh and Trina Rich. All of the ombuds have training from the International Ombuds Association and have taken a mediation course. Their position in the Ombuds Office is part-time. Rich is the director of university & academic affairs policy administration, Gunning is a professor and a clinical pharmacist at the U’s Sugarhouse Health Center, and Kerig and Murtaugh are professors.
Ombuds do not make formal reports or recommendations or advocate for any party involved in an issue, which means you control the process. They can work with you to identify available action steps.
“One of the most important things we do is listen,” Gunning said. “In addition to hearing what people are saying, we help them decide what they want to do. I think some may assume we solve people’s problems. People solve their own problems, but we can help them think about issues in new ways.”
For employees, this can be especially valuable when navigating sensitive workplace dynamics— such as a conflict with a supervisor or colleague. If you need to talk about something like a performance review or a disciplinary action, the ombuds can assist in planning that conversation. If you and the person with whom you need to resolve an issue both choose to do so, an Ombuds can conduct a facilitated discussion between the two of you.
“We are best able to help as early as possible in the process,” Kerig said.
Faculty, graduate students, undergraduates and postdoctoral students can also visit the Ombuds Office. For faculty, this may include seeking guidance for authorship disputes or regarding tenure and promotion processes. Students can receive support for things like a problem at their on-campus job or for clarifying university procedures. If you have a work or school-related issue and don’t know where to start, the ombuds office wants you to reach out to them.
“Many of the issues people come to us with stem from misunderstandings or poor communication,” Murtaugh said. “Exploring options not only addresses the challenge at hand but also enables people to avoid future problems.”
Ombuds at the University of Utah are not mandatory reporters. This means students, faculty or staff can discuss concerns that include harassment or discrimination without automatically initiating an investigation.
Every interaction with the office is private. “When someone visits, no one outside the Ombuds Office knows,” Rich said. “It’s a space where you can speak freely and figure out what feels right for you.”
For many, that confidentiality and independence make the ombuds office a first step toward resolution, and sometimes, relief.
“Even when there isn’t an immediate solution,” Rich said, “talking through a problem in a safe space can make a huge difference.”
To learn more or schedule a confidential conversation, visit ombuds.utah.edu.