Students now have a new option for resolving conflicts among themselves and University employees-the student ombudsperson.
An ombudsperson is often employed by organizations to act as an impartial go-between for parties in conflict.
The University approved the position earlier this summer. John Blackshear, the current clinical director of the Academic Resource Center, will be the first to fill the post.
Provost Peter Lange said he was excited about the program.
"We found the right man for the job," he said.
As ombudsperson, Blackshear said he will deal with a wide variety of student issues, such as conflicts between students or those between a student and a University employee--staff, faculty or administrator.
"My commitment is [to] making a fair, impartial resource for students to discuss issues that might be important to them and also for them to receive guidance from someone that's knowledgeable about University policies and procedures," Blackshear said. "I also hope I can help them brainstorm ways to effectively resolve a conflict."
Though Ben Reese, vice president for institutional equity, pitched the ombudsperson position, the post will not be part of the Office for Institutional Equity. An ombudsperson is supposed to be impartial, and as such, Blackshear will not be under direct OIE supervision, Lange said.
"I'm not set up in this role to protect the University or to convince students to act in any way," Blackshear said. "I'm there to service them with my full attention, and I will not pass judgment."
The creation of an ombudsperson position has been in the works for seven or eight months, Reese said.
The office will be a part-time, on-call position, Lange said.
Blackshear said he will be providing Lange with updates throughout the year on the number of students taking advantage of his services, but will not divulge any specifics due to the sensitive nature of the job.
Lange said he will take these updates into account when the program goes under review next year.
"I'm pretty confident that it will be a success, although perhaps not in exactly the form we're starting with," he said.
The ombudsperson position was created after administrators examined issues brought to light by the Campus Culture Initiative and the President's Council on Black Affairs, Blackshear said.
"There were some expressions by students about whether or not their issues were being heard, if they had a source of support at the University that would be fair and impartial to them and feeling confident that someone was not delivering a party line to them," he said.
Reese said he hopes the influence of the ombudsperson position will reach all students.
"It think it's important to provide a model for everyone within the Duke community of respectful ways of differing and coming to a resolution with everyone feeling that they have been heard," he said.
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