Overview

The Office of the Ombuds serves as a resource for students and the CSM community to provide a safe, informal, and confidential space to discuss issues or concerns that may occur on campus. Utilizing the Office does not take the place or serve in lieu of any formal grievance processes made available by the College.

What is an Ombuds?
An Ombuds (or Ombudsperson) is a designated neutral or impartial conflict resolution practitioner who provides confidential and informal assistance to visitors on a variety of issues and concerns. The Ombuds operates independently and has no formal decision-making authority or disciplinary responsibilities. An Ombuds does not take on the role as advocate for any one position in a dispute, instead striving for fairness of process and healthy conflict resolution.

The role of the Ombuds is to:

• Listen.
• Help clarify issues and identify potential resources/options.
• Offer support in preparation for difficult conversations.
• Facilitate conversations between involved parties in an impartial manner.
• Provide information, informal inquiries, and make referrals to other resources.
• Offer professional development and engagement opportunities to promote an inclusive campus community.

Confidential Contact for LGBTQ+ Students
The Office of the Ombuds serves as an independent and informal resource for students to provide a safe, impartial, and confidential space to discuss issues or concerns that may occur on campus. The Ombudsperson also serves as the designated point of contact for the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, transgender, gender-nonconforming, intersex, and two-spirit faculty, staff, and students. The Ombudsperson is not a mandated reporter.

How can I contact the Ombudsperson?
Please email any general questions to csmombuds@smccd.edu. If you would like to meet with the Ombudsperson, please fill out an Intake Form. Meetings can be held by phone, virtually, or in person by appointment.