Resolution 17-06: MY BUD IS OMBUDS
| Number | 17-06 |
| Description | UTA establish an office or designate an ombuds person at UTA |
| Authored by |
Jenny Blankenship |
| Sponsored by |
Roman Vasquez Peter Pimolsri Love Kelly |
| Date Submitted | Thursday, October 27, 2016 |
| Date Considered | Monday, February 27, 2017 |
| Committee | Academic Affairs |
| Result | n/a |
| Remarks | The Student Senate felt that what this resolution is asking will benefit the students of UTA. Our academic grievance process may work well for some instances, but not all, therefore having an ombudsman or ombuds office will be able to provide insight and mediation for concerns or issues that cannot be solved by the common procedure. |
| Whereas | Undergraduate and graduate students may file grievances against faculty through a hierarchical system put in place by their respective college which can successfully address many issues, like grades; and |
| Whereas | Such a system is not always as successful when addressing concerns of a student’s status in regards to research, graduate and doctoral programs as one person, such as their Chair for their doctoral program, may be the sole judge of whether they progress through the program; and |
| Whereas | The current hierarchical system may not allow the student’s concern to be heard past their Chair, or persons in charge of the student’s program, and the case may then be dissolved; and |
| Whereas | Other Universities, such as Texas Tech, University of North Texas, University of Texas at San Antonio, and the University of Texas at Austin have an Ombudsperson or Ombuds Office, that serves and aides both faculty and students through the grievance process and serves a neutral mediator; and |
| Whereas | Providing a safe place for students to discuss concerns may help in creating a safe place to discuss concerns may help create neutral solutions and higher degree completion rates; and |
| Whereas | The universities mentioned have praised their Ombuds Offices and elaborated of their benefits as indicated in our research. |
| Be It Further Resolved That | The University of Texas at Arlington establish either an Ombudsperson or Ombuds Office in order to provide a safe and confidential place for faculty or student concerns to be addressed and mediated. |