The Faculty Ombuds Program was established by Chancellor Richard Byyny in 1997 in response to a resolution passed by the Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA). The resolution was intended to provide a confidential resource for faculty experiencing conflict and/or seeking information about university policies. The BFA called upon the Chancellor to create the faculty Ombuds program as an informal mechanism where the faculty could take their concerns. Also, the BFA suggested that persons appointed to the position of faculty ombudspersons be drawn from retired professors with significant experience at the university. Faculty ombudspersons are not advocates and are not empowered to make decisions or affect changes in policy for the university. They are a confidential and neutral resource trained in mediation and available to assist the faculty in dealing with problems and conflicts that arise in the course of their work.

Currently there are two retired faculty serving part time as Faculty Ombudspersons. They are: Larry Singell, formerly Dean of the College of Business and long-time faculty member in the Department of Economics, and Lee Potts, long-time faculty member from the Department of Theatre and Dance. They have coached new chairs and new faculty members, helped faculty identify and sort through options at a time when they were unsure of how to deal with their concerns, mediated disputes between faculty colleagues, provided information about campus policies and procedures, and facilitated discussions within academic departments and programs needing assistance in solving problems and making decisions.

Lee or Larry may be reached at 303-492-1574 or by e-mail at: PottsL@ionsky.com; or Larry.Singell@Colorado.edu.

Faculty Ombuds Office ARCE, 3100 Marine St., Rm. 25. (Note: Room 25, on the ground floor in the northeast area of ARCE should not be confused with 25A in the southeast area.)