Page 10 — Over The Edge — March 17, 1997

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I would like to introduce
myself. My name is John
Robertson, and I am the
Ombudsperson here at UNBC.
My job you ask? I deal mainly

with the private concerns of

students. I would like to be
writing this article about my

job and how I am here to serve |

the students of UNBC, but
unfortunately that is not the
case. At'last week’s meeting I
was shocked to hear that our
president Brian Cole had
resigned. His reasons were the
lack of competence of the
directors as well as the
frustration of dealing with this
incompetence. On the next line
he asks for my resignation.
Since he mentions no one else
in the article in terms of such
a negative light I have to
assume that I contributed
largely to his frustration, and
the incompetence he refers to,
is largely mine. The majority
of the board is a, fairly close
group. We all see the work that
the other directors are doing
and have a fairly good idea of
who is and isn’t slacking off.
In my case I am fairly
separated from the rest of the
board. My job requires
confidentiality and in most
cases I do not talk about my
work with other
because I can’t. In times when

people’

I am not dealing with student
concerns, I work on related
ombudsperson work, as well as
handle the radio club as well
as other issues that pop up
from time to time. In addition,
I am a@ member of the
harassment committee, the
space allocation committee
and the parking appeals
committee. Needless to say, I

am a busy person and | take my

work very seriously. I can
promise you, if the other
members of the board did not
feel I was living up to my
responsibilities they would ask
for my resignation. Such is the
case with the recently departed
Promotions person Jodie Feist.
Numerous members of the
board did not feel she was
doing her job, so she was asked
to resign. Never once did
Brian come to me and ask to
see what I was working on, to
see evidence or proof of the
work J had done. All he ever
did was come to me on his
behalf and tell me I wasn’t
doing my job, which to him
was the fact that I wasn’t going
around trying to sell who I was
and what I did to students. It

is apparent by this request for
my resignation that all the
other work I do only went
unapparent to him, and him
alone. Since his request, I

- What's an Ombuds?

“have had nothing but the full

support of my fellow board

members. Even in the meeting -
in which Brian’s resignation -

was read out, I had-the Vice
Chair, who constantly checks
on me, stand up and express
words of support for the work
I do. I am, and have been
frustrated by  Brian’s
misinfomed opinion towards
my work since the beginning
of the school year. So when he
asks for something like my
resignation, I feel it is an
unfair judgement based on
misunderstanding. I do my
work, and in addition to the
NUGSS directorship, the
students and faculty who I
have dealt with know this. I
should not have been singled
out in a letter which serves a
completely different purpose.
Recommendations to the board
are one thing and a letter of
resignation is another. For he
is not only criticizing me but
he is criticizing the whole
board that he was a part of.’ I
think Brian did a lot of
excellent work for the school

and its student bedy and he
should be commended for this,

but I have to question why
such a classy guy would leave
on such a-classless note.
Signed John Robertson

(NUGSS Ombudsperson)

UNIVERSITY OMBUDSPERSON

WHY THE OMBUDSPERSON IS HERE:

The Ombudsperson facilitates conversation when conflict arises among students, staff, faculty,
administration, and services offered at UNBC. These principles are followed:

IMPARTIALITY

INDEPENDENCE

Taking a nonaligned role when hearing a concern

Operating independently of the usual administrative authorities

CONFIDENTIALITY Keeping records, contacts, and communications confidential;
pursuing complaints only with consent of the complainant

WHAT THE OMBUDSPERSON DOES:

HANDLES COMPLAINTS

- hearing concerns, complaints.

- conducting investigations where

appropriate.

~ helping to identify and evaluate

options for resolution with all

parties.

PROVIDES INFORMATION

- maintaining resource files on campus policies,
procedures, services and programs.

- making referrals to other university services

- offering recommendations regarding changes in
policies, procedures, and existing structures

JOHN ROBERTSON : UNBC OMBUDSPERSON
OFFICE HOURS AS POSTED AT THE NUGSS OFFICE
Email : robej000@ugrad.unbc.edu Phone : 960-6427

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