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A Confidential Space to Talk Through Challenges and Explore Options
Navigating university life, workplace dynamics, or academic requirements isn't always straightforward. Whether you're feeling stuck in university bureaucracy, experiencing interpersonal conflict, or simply dealing with a situation where you don't know where to turn, you don't have to figure it out alone.
CU Boulder's Ombuds Office is an independent, confidential, impartial, and informal resource open to all students, faculty, staff, and others connected to CU Boulder. We provide a neutral environment to help you surface issues, talk through concerns without judgment, and evaluate your choices—so you can decide your own path forward.
Our office serves as a good place to surface, voice, discuss and clarify university-related concerns. We listen without judgment, help people untangle issues, develop options and strategize. We provide an impartial perspective and maintain what is shared with us in strictest confidence. You choose your path of resolution!
Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the Ombuds Office. Conversations with the Ombuds are kept confidential to the fullest extent permitted by law and university policy. The Ombuds does not keep records for the university, share information with administrators, or disclose identifying information without your permission, except in very limited circumstances involving an imminent risk of serious harm or when otherwise required by law. This confidential setting allows you to speak openly, explore your options, and decide on the best path forward without creating a formal university record or initiating an official process.
The CU Boulder Ombuds Office has served the university community for more than 50 years and is one of the longest-standing organizational ombuds programs in higher education. Our history reflects a sustained commitment to providing a confidential, impartial, independent, and informal resource for resolving conflict and improving the campus climate.
Confidential
Conversations with the Ombuds are confidential to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Independent
The Ombuds Office operates independently from the university's formal decision-making processes.
Impartial
We do not take sides or advocate for any individual or department. Instead, we provide a fair, unbiased space to help you explore your options.
Informal
The Ombuds Office is an informal resource, so meeting with us does not start a formal complaint or investigation.
Contact Us
Office Hours (Monday - Friday):
9:00 AM -12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM MT
Please note we operate remotely on Fridays. We are located in C4C Suite S484.
To Schedule an Appointment
Please drop by during our hours of operation or call 303-492-5077. Consults with ombuds are by appointment only. Call ahead to ensure that we are available. We are a small team and lock our suite when we are all busy assisting others.
We recommend that all communication with our office be done in person, by Zoom or by phone. To safeguard confidentiality, we do not use email to schedule appointments or to provide ombuds services.
Guiding Our Work
Our Charter—established through a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with university leadership—formally authorizes the existence of the Ombuds Office and sets the boundaries of our role within the institution.
Our office strictly adheres to the ethical principles established by the International Ombuds Association. These principles serve as the foundation for how we engage with every visitor and handle every concern.
While the Code of Ethics defines what guides us, the IOA Standards of Practice establish how we carry out our work in practice across the campus community.
