Faculty Ombudsperson

Summary of Responsibilities:

The University of Memphis Faculty Ombudsperson is an independent, confidential and impartial resource available to the faculty to facilitate cooperation and consensus through education and mediation. The Ombudsperson engenders awareness and skill development in the areas of conflict resolution, communication, team building and civility. In a neutral and impartial role, the Ombudsperson assists all tenured, tenure-track, clinical, research, one-year and part-time instructors and teaching assistants to resolve complaints with the goal of promoting alternatives to adversarial processes. The Ombudsperson receives and seeks to resolve complaints, explains relevant policies and procedures, conducts or directs research and fact-finding, makes referrals to appropriate campus and community resources, makes recommendations for change, attempts to open avenues of communication among parties, and mediates between conflicting parties. As needed, the Ombudsperson makes recommendations to the Provost concerning policy and/or procedural changes that arise as a result of conflicts that have occurred.

The Ombudsperson maintains collaborative relationships with other University offices (e.g., Academic Affairs, Human Resources, Affirmative Action, Student Affairs). However, when legal and/or disciplinary issues arise, the Ombudsperson refers the case to the appropriate unit of the University. Moreover, the ombudsperson’s activities are restricted to the faculty and to teaching assistants; staff and student conflicts should be directed to the Department of Human Resources and the Office of Student Affairs respectively.

The Ombudsperson reports to the Provost.

Contact information:

E.W. "Bill" Brody
Faculty Ombudsperson
Administration Building 154
Phone: (901) 678-4779
E-mail:ewbrody@memphis.edu

Brief bio:

• Professor, Department of Journalism
• B.A., 1977, Eastern Illinois University
• M.A., 1978, California State University
• Ed.D., educational administration, 1982, Memphis State University
• Ten years as a newspaper reporter and editor and 25 years as a public relations executive and counselor. Accredited by PRSA and IABC, he is the author of six books, co-author of two and editor of one.