What is an Ombudsperson?
Who are the current Ombudspersons?
Who appoints the Ombudspersons?
Who can contact an Ombudsperson?
What types of concerns can be discussed with an Ombudsperson?
What type of help does an Ombudsperson provide?
What an Ombudsperson does NOT do.
At K-State an ombudsperson is a faculty member or an unclassified professional assigned to assist faculty members and unclassified professionals with problems related to employment. The ombudsperson may contact the administrator(s) involved to seek a resolution of a concern which a faculty or unclassified professionals may have. The ombudsperson may also provide information about the grievance and appeal process and guide a grievant through the initial stages of a grievance.
Dr. Wayne Goins
Department of Music
Phone: 532-3822
Email: weg@k-state.edu
Christy Crenshaw
Undergraduate Admissions
Phone: 532-2069
E-mail: crenshaw@k-state.edu
Dr. Warren White
Department of Special Education, Counseling, and Student Affairs
Phone: 532-6349
Email: wwhite@k-state.edu
The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate appoints three ombudspersons to assist faculty and unclassified professionals. Ombudspersons may be a tenured faculty member or an unclassified professional on a regular appointment. They are selected for their familiarity with the university's structure and operations, and many have served on Faculty Senate or the General Grievance Board. Each ombudsperson serves a three-year term that begins the first day of each fall semester. Service as an ombudsperson is considered as part of the ombudsperson's responsibility during the term of appointment. Assistance provided to faculty and unclassified professionals is free of charge.
Ombudspersons are available to assist all faculty and unclassified professionals. Faculty include all individuals with the academic ranks of Instructor through Full Professor. Graduate research and teaching assistants (GRA's and GTA's) are also on faculty appointments. Unclassified professionals include all who do not hold academic rank and do not have a civil service classification. All Research Assistants/Associates and Extension Assistants/Associates are unclassified professionals. Also, unclassified professionals serve in student service departments or in other support units of the university. Directors, assistants, coordinators, and specialists are examples unclassified professionals.
It is suggested that ombudspersons be consulted early in any of the above situations.