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Special Announcement

Announcing Our New Interim Ombuds Team

The Interim Ombuds Team consists of diverse experienced bilingual professionals dedicated to providing confidential support to our University community. With various backgrounds, they are here to assist students, faculty, staff, teachers, leaders, and alumni in navigating challenges and resolving conflicts during this transitional period from November 4, 2024 to January 31, 2025.  

SooHyun Tak 
SooHyun Tak, ‘90, ‘93, & G-’95, Deaf Korean American Female, has over 30 years of experience in the public, nonprofit, and higher education sectors. She is an independent consultant, facilitator, and trainer specializing in DEI and multicultural organizational development. Previously as a faculty member at Gallaudet University in the Departments of Counseling and Psychology, she also served as a restorative practice facilitator and mediator in the University Office of Ombuds. Holding a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, her background encompasses extensive work in mental health and advocacy in both front-line provider and supervisory roles, equipping her with the knowledge and skills to drive meaningful change in diverse organizational contexts.

Days/Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:30A to  4:30P. Please schedule your meeting on this link: https://calendly.com/ombudstak

SooHyun


Ashley Meyer

Ashley Meyer (she/her), white female CODA, has been the Associate Ombuds at the Rochester Institute of Technology since 2019. She has worked at RIT for 13 years, prior to the Ombuds Office, she was in Residence Life and Academic Advising. Ashley earned her MBA from RIT in 2011 and her Bachelor’s degree from Lycoming College in 2008. Preferred pronouns are she/her/hers.

Days/Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4P to 8P. Please schedule your meeting on this link: https://calendly.com/akmrla-rit

Ashley_Meyer_02_HR


Malibu Barron 

Malibu Barron (she/her), ‘11, ‘13 a Deaf Multiracial Woman who is a mother of three Deaf children, a current third-year doctoral student studying at Texas State University under Community and Educational Leadership, and a strategist to impact systematic inequality on multiple levels. She believes that conflicts are a necessary part of growth through becoming comfortable with discomfort. Malibu embodies a calming force to hold multiple truths to create authentic and meaningful changes in schools, communities, and corporations. 

Days/Hours: Weekly schedule varies. Please use the link for this week’s hours https://calendly.com/ombuds-malibu

Malibu, Jack, and Avanti


Jennifer Schneider
,  Ph.D., CO-OP®
Jennifer, white hearing female, started her career as a teacher, earning a bachelor’s degree in Deaf Education from Flagler College, interning at FSDB, and then teaching students who were Deaf or hard of hearing in the public school system. She later taught at the high school and college levels. Working with college students in this capacity piqued her interest in higher education, eventually leading her to pursue a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration. She has since worked in a number of faculty and administrative roles at various colleges and universities in Florida. She is currently an organizational ombuds at the University of South Florida, a position she has held since 2015. Jennifer is a Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO-OP®), and she is wholly committed to the principles that guide that work – confidentiality, impartiality, informality, and independence.

Days/Hours: Mondays through Thursdays from 8A to 10:30A. Please schedule your meeting on this link: 
https://calendly.com/jasschneider1

Jen

 

 

Mission

The Office of the Ombuds at Gallaudet University serves as your first stop, last resort, or everything in between to discuss concerns confidentially and informally. You will have the opportunity to be seen, heard, and engaged in coming up with options or a plan of action to address your concerns.

 

About Us

We serve undergraduate, graduate, and international students, staff, faculty, alumni, families of students, and other University community members who are having issues that stem from university policies, practices, and relationships. Anyone is welcome. When you visit us, you will

  • Be treated with respect and dignity
  • Receive guidance and consultation regardless if the issue is big or small
  • Not have your conversations documented

Confidentiality

Informality

Independence

Impartiality

Voluntary

The Ombuds adheres to the Code of Ethics, the Standards of Practice, and the Best Practices of the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) in providing services to visitors. The four key principles governing the practice of the Ombuds are:

  • Confidentiality: The Ombuds can not disclose the identity of her visitors except when there is an imminent risk of serious harm.
  • Informality: The Ombuds does not replace or duplicate any available formal process on campus. The Ombuds can only provide informal advice and assistance.
  • Independence: The Ombuds is independent of any University structure, and contacting the Ombuds does not constitute notice to the University.
  • Impartiality: The Ombuds ensures fairness in the procedures, not for the person.

Need to Meet with One of Us?

You can! Please see below for the Interim Ombuds Team’s days and hours: 

Information

FAQs

Policies and Information

The Ombuds may be consulted to address conflicts related to academic and non-academic issues. Common instances of academic issues may include conflicts between students and faculty members, allegations of inappropriate comments or conduct, and questions about academic policies and procedures.

The Ombuds reports to the President of Gallaudet University. Upon request, the Ombuds sends reports in various formats to the President and other adminstrators. These reports typically list the concerns received by the office and general demographics of the visitors in a way which carefully maintains the confidentiality and anonymity of its visitors. Annual reports are posted on the Ombuds’ website at https://gallaudet.edu/ombuds/ombuds-reports/ .

The Ombuds will keep your identity confidential unless there is an imminent risk of serious harm. In other words, if a person’s physical safety is in grave danger, confidentiality cannot be maintained. Confidentiality is maintained for all other situations, unless express permission is granted by the visitor. To make a completely anonymous report, the visitor may make a non-traceable online report by using the ombuds’ webpage. Please know that if the reports are completely anonymous, the ombuds may not be able assist comprehensively in addressing these reports. The visitor also has the option to file an anonymous report through the campus whistleblower mechanism.

The Ombuds may provide only informal assistance, and cannot compel disciplinary actions or involuntary meetings. The Ombuds may conduct voluntary mediation and facilitation, confidential meetings, and conflict management training. The Ombuds also reviews policies and makes recommendations for change. Moreover, the Ombuds may provide notice to university administrators regarding systemic trends and patterns.

The Ombuds serves all members of the Gallaudet University campus community: students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, families, applicants, and others as appropriate. In other words, the Ombuds’ services are not limited only to students.

If the visitor is a member of the campus community, there is no wrong reason to visit the Ombuds Office. The Ombuds regularly receives concerns regarding the nine following categories as set by the International Ombuds Association (IOA):

  • compensation and benefits;
  • evaluative relationships;
  • peer relationships;
  • career progression and development;
  • legal, regulatory, and financial compliance;
  • safety, health, and physical environment;
  • service and administrative issues; organizational and strategic issues; and
  • values, ethics and standards.

Common Questions

The services provided by the Office of the Ombuds are informal, impartial, independent, and confidential. You may contact the ombuds office at any time without relinquishing your options to contact or file a formal complaint with the appropriate offices on campus. A variety of formal complaint procedures is available, such as the new Student Grievance procedure with the Student Affairs office, and the ombuds office is available as a parallel informal resource to assist in resolving concerns. The visitor may encounter instances of insensitivity, unfairness, or miscommunication which may not necessarily be discrimination and not handled by formal procedures, and the ombuds office may also assist in addressing these situations.
The ombuds is an “inside outsider”— not part of the administration. Because of this, the ombuds is able to see and address issues within the larger organizational context. Gallaudet supports the independence of the ombuds because it is to everyone’s advantage to have all concerns, even the most sensitive, brought to the surface and resolved. The ombuds office, which upholds the tenets of neutrality, independence, confidentiality, and informality, is recognized nationally as a best practice in higher education.

For more information, you may visit the ombuds office’s website at: https://gallaudet.edu/ombuds/. For specific questions and requests for appointments, please contact us here

ou may also visit the office at Ely Center, Room 113. Normal business hours are 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, but because hours vary to accommodate the schedules of visitors, it would be best to send an email first to schedule an appointment.

Contact Us

Ombuds

Ely Center 113

(202) 559-5079

(202) 448-7175

Monday
9:00 am-5:00 pm
Tuesday
9:00 am-5:00 pm
Wednesday
9:00 am-5:00 pm
Thursday
9:00 am-5:00 pm
Friday
9:00 am-5:00 pm

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