The position of Director of Faculty Relations was established in 2007 in recognition of the need to provide services to faculty members and academic administrators to help develop and maintain working relationships that are positive and productive. These services include individual consultation, mediation, assessment of unit dynamics, and investigations of allegations of unprofessional behavior as defined in the Professional Rights and Responsibilities (PRR).

Guiding Principles

  • Conflicts should be addressed and resolved at the lowest level as quickly and with the least formality possible.
  • Faculty Relations exercises independent judgment.
  • Contacts and communications between clients and the Director of Faculty Relations are confidential except in cases requiring formal investigation and fact-finding or as otherwise required by law or university regulations.

Service Eligibility

  • Faculty members, including research faculty.
  • Academic administrators holding a faculty appointment.
  • Post-doctoral appointees who have a conflict issue with a faculty member.

Consulting Services

  • Individual Consultation: being a sounding board for your professional relationships and helping you identify multiple ways to respond to difficult situations.

  • Group Coaching: offering Mediation and facilitating Dialogue Circles to find ways to work together successfully. 

  • Facilitating conflict resolution.

  • Making referrals to other on-campus resources. 

  • Guiding investigations and making recommendations for disposition of allegations of unprofessional behavior or misconduct. 

Request a Consultation

FAQ

Informal advice, coaching, and mediation are provided confidentially. Unless you grant permission, the Director of Faculty Relations will not reveal your name or information about your situation to others. Note: Confidentiality cannot be assured in situations involving imminent physical danger or violation of law. By university policy, the director of faculty relations is obligated to report allegations of sexual harassment or discrimination.

Yes, you may bring a concern to Faculty Relations instead of, or prior to, employing other existing University procedures.

No. Faculty Relations makes recommendations to the appropriate appointing authority. Only the appointing authority may impose sanctions.

In addition to offering formal training for chairs, Faculty Relations can provide one-on-one coaching for any question that arises in the course of your work as chair. A confidential sounding board for you is always just a phone call away.

Services of the faculty ombuds are always strictly voluntary, confidential, and informal. The Director of Faculty Relations may also advise, conduct formal assessments; make recommendations for actions; and engage in more formal mediation processes (including mediation mandated by an academic administrator).

Yes. If you want to address the problem yourself, Faculty Relations can provide advice and coaching on how to proceed. Alternatively, Faculty Relations can engage the parties directly on your behalf.