THE
      ROLE
      OF
      THE
      OMBUDSPERSON
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Ombudsperson
      at
      U.P.E.I.
      is
      an
      elected,
      non-
     
     
      voting
      member
      of
      the
      Students’
      Union.
      This
      person
     
     
      serves
      as
      a
      source
      of
      aid
      for
      students
      who
      are
      unable
     
     
      to
      get
      help
      elsewhere,
      or
      who
      are
      confused
      about
     
     
      where
      to
      go
      for
      the
      help
      that
      they
      need.
      The
     
     
      Ombudsperson
      works
      as
      a
      referral/information
      of-
     
     
      ficer,
      as
      well
      as
      a
      mediator/negotiator
      where
      neces-
     
     
      sary.
      The
      Ombudsperson
      is
      a
      neutral
      body
      witha
     
     
      predominant
      interest
      in
      justice.
      They
      are
      a
      confiden-
     
     
      tial
      source
      (within
      the
      boundaries
      of
      law)
      and
      are
     
     
      independent
      from
      both
      the
      Students’
      Union
      and
      the
     
     
      Administration.
      The
      Office
      of
      the
      Ombudsperson
      is
     
     
      an
      advisory
      position
      and
      relies
      on
      the
      entire
      campus
     
     
      body
      in
      the
      resolution
      of
      problems
      and
      the
      incorpora-
     
     
      tion
      of
      change
      on
      campus.
      This
      Office
      is
      also
      a
     
     
      member
      of
      The
      Association
      of
      Canadian
      College
      and
     
     
      University
      Ombudspersons.
      Generally,
      any
      problems
     
     
      which
      one
      may
      encounter
      on
      the
      University
      campus
     
     
      are
      easily
      and
      quickly
      resolved
      by
      the
      appropriate
     
     
      departments.
      In
      some
      cases
      however,
      general
      proce-
     
     
      dures
      may
      fail
      and/or
      students
      may
      be
      unsure
      of
      the
     
     
      correct
      procedure
      to
      follow.
      In
      cases
      as
      this,
      the
     
     
      Ombudsperson
      may
      be
      a
      valuable
      source
      of
      informa-
     
     
      tion.
      The
      Ombudsperson
      is
      available
      for
      discussion
     
     
      and
      consultation
      ofany
      problems.
      At
      this
      time,
      if
     
     
      necessary,
      information,
      appropriate
      solutions,
      or
     
     
      methods
      of
      recourse
      may
      be
      offered.
      Likewise,
      in
      the
     
     
      event
      that
      the
      Ombudsperson
      finds
      there
      to
      be
      no
     
     
      substantial
      case,
      the
      student
      will
      be
      informed
      of
      this
     
     
      as
      well.
      (
      Students
      should
      realize
      that
      the
      involvement
     
     
      of
      the
      Ombudsperson
      does
      not
      ensure
      a
      favourable
     
     
      outcome.
      There
      will
      be
      times
      when
      the
      student
      must
     
     
      accept
      responsibility
      for
      their
      actions.
      )
     
    
   
   
    
     
      FUNCTIONS
      OF
      THE
      OMBUDSPERSON
      :
     
    
   
   
    
     
      1.
      TOACT
      AS
      AN
      INFORMATION/REFERRAL
     
     
      SOURCE
      -
      If
      you
      do
      not
      know
      where
      to
      go
      for
      help
     
     
      about
      a
      University
      -
      related
      matter,
      you
      may
      go
      to
      the
     
     
      Ombudsperson.
      (
      Grade
      Appeals,
      Regulations,
      Har-
     
     
      assment,
      etc.
      )
     
    
   
   
    
     
      2.
      TOACT
      AS
      A
      MEDIATOR/FACILITATOR
      -
     
     
      When
      necessary
      or
      requested,
      the
      Ombudsperson
      may
     
     
      be
      able
      to
      aid
      in
      finding
      feasible
      solutions
      for
      prob-
     
     
      lems
      or
      for
      acting
      as
      a
      communicator
      between
      stu-
     
     
      dents
      and
      another
      body.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      3.
      TOMAKE
      RECOMMENDATIONS
      -
      In
      specific
     
    
   
   
    
     
      cases
      and
      where
      it
      is
      appropriate,
      the
      Ombudsperson
      ~
     
     
      may
      make
      recommendations
      about
      general
      procedures
     
     
      affecting
      students
      and
      about
      cases
      in
      which
      they
      may
     
     
      be
      involved.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      WHEN
      TO
      CONSULT
      THE
      OMBUDSPERSON
      :
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -
      If
      you
      are
      unsure
      of
      where
      to
      go.
     
    

    
     
      -
      If
      the
      appropriate
      University
      procedures
      have
      failed
     
     
      to
      yield
      any
      results
      in
      your
      case.
     
    

    
     
      -
      If
      you
      feel
      that
      the
      present
      procedures
      will
      not
      apply
     
     
      in
      your
      case.
     
    

    
     
      -
      If
      you
      feel
      that
      a
      procedure
      or
      regulation
      has
      been
     
     
      applied
      incorrectly
      or
      unjustly.
     
    

    
     
      -
      If
      you
      need
      unbiased
      help,
      as
      with
      mediating
      an
     
     
      issue
      or
      reviewing
      a
      written
      appeal.
     
    

    
     
      -
      If
      you
      feel
      that
      you
      have
      been
      the
      victim
      of
      sexual
     
     
      harassment/assault
      and
      are
      unable
      to
      contact
      one
      of
     
     
      the
      counsellors.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      WHERE
      TO
      CONTACT
      THE
      OMBUDSPERSON
      :
     
     
      Presently,
      the
      Ombudsperson
      may
      be
      contacted
      by
     
    
   
   
    
     
      leaving
      messages
      at
      the
      Student
      Union
      Office.
      (566-
     
     
      0530)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      This
      Office
      will
      be
      in
      Marian
      Hall
      beginning
      some-
     
     
      time
      in
      October.
      At
      this
      time,
      office
      hours
      will
      be
     
     
      made
      available
      to
      students.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Watch
      the
      Express
      for
      future
      information!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      HELPFUL
      REMINDERS:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Always
      attempt
      to
      resolve
      an
      issue
      within
      the
      appro-
     
     
      priate
      department
      prior
      to
      seeking
      help
      from
      the
     
     
      Ombudsperson.
      (Often
      problems
      have
      simple
      solu-
     
     
      tions
      and
      can
      be
      managed
      by
      the
      student.
      )
     
    

    
     
      Read
      your
      University
      calendar
      for
      the
      academic/
     
     
      general
      regulations.
      This
      may
      avoid
      future
      problems!
     
     
      Always
      keep
      yourcopies
      of
      documentation,
      receipts,
     
     
      and
      the
      like
      as
      well
      as
      carrying
      your
      Student
      I.D..
     
     
      Take
      the
      time
      to
      understand
      both
      sides
      of
      an
      issue.
     
     
      Many
      problems
      can
      be
      avoided
      simply
      by
      communica:
     
     
      tion!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Have
      a
      Great
      Semester!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Nici
      Carbone
     
     
      Ombudsperson
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      UPEI
      X-P
      RESS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      September
      26,
      1991
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Page
      I: