University Ombuds

University Ombuds

We are here to partner with you as you face any kind of conflict or concern that arises from or affects your work, life, or study at Brown.

University Ombuds

We are here to partner with you as you face any kind of conflict or concern that arises from or affects your work, life, or study at Brown.

To make an appointment to discuss an issue, or to request a facilitation, mediation, or training, please call 401-863-6145 or email ombuds@brown.edu. If you wish to remain anonymous, please leave your phone number and a time during which we can reach you. 

Our Invitation to You

You are invited to reach out to us at any time to discuss any conflicts, concerns, issues, or questions, impacting your work, life, or study at Brown. We provide a safe, off-the-record, and confidential place where Brown University community members — faculty, staff, graduate students, medical students, and postdoctoral scholars — can voluntarily seek free support in constructively managing their concerns or conflicts.

Our role is to help empower you to figure out how you wish to move forward in your situation; you can rest assured that you will not be pushed to do any particular action, unless you choose do that action, and you can meet with us without the fear of retaliation or loss of privacy. This is in part why the Ombuds Office, as a confidential, neutral, informal, and independent resource, is often seen as a good, safe, and logical first place to go when figuring out what to do next when faced with conflicts or concerns. It is also a place to go when you are not sure where to go to address a matter or obtain more information about a situation.

If you are unsure whether or not to reach out, please consider this guideline: If you have an issue that is interrupting your ability to work or study effectively, it may be time to contact us for some assistance.

Whether your issue feels small, medium, or big, or the conflict is new, ongoing, or deeply entrenched, or your questions concern policies and practices, interpersonal disputes, difficult decisions, ethics, bias/discrimination, or anything else, you are always welcome to contact us.

We are here to help you figure out your path forward, and we look forward to partnering with you.

Introduction to the Ombuds Office

We are ready and available to provide a short presentation introducing us and our off-the-record and confidential services to you and your team/department. During this especially challenging time when there are additional opportunities for conflict, it may be particularly helpful to learn more about the wide array of conflict management services that are offered. Please reach out at any time to schedule a 5 - 20 minute presentation.

Schedule a presentation

Our Services

The Ombuds Office offers a variety of services to its served community - faculty, staff, graduate students, medical students, and postdoctoral scholars.
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Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics

The Ombuds Office follows the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of the International Ombuds Association, which serve as the foundation for the office’s Guiding Principles. The Brown University Ombuds Office is a voluntary program established on these Guiding Principles. No one is required to use the office, but if they do, they will be understood to have agreed to abide by these principles and the University Ombuds Office Charter, and not call the University Ombuds or anyone from the Office to testify or produce documents relating to confidential communications in any legal, administrative, or other proceeding. The University has also agreed not to call the University Ombuds or anyone from the Office to testify or produce documents relating to confidential communications in any such proceedings. Additionally, the Ombuds Office is not authorized to accept notice or formal complaints on behalf of the University.