“With a focus on fairness, equity and respect, the ombudsperson builds capacity to help the institution be accountable to its own value and mission statements. In working with individuals, the ombudsperson facilitates fair resolutions that build trust and fortify the relationship between individual and institution.”
– Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons (ACCUO)
Ombudsman is a Swedish term defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “an official appointed to investigate individuals’ complaints against public authorities.” It is used world-wide to designate independent, impartial and confidential offices that receive inquiries and complaints from the public.
At UVic, the Office of the Ombudsperson was created in May 1978 by the UVic Students’ Society, under the aegis of the Ombudsperson Advisory Committee. It is now funded by undergraduate students, graduate students, and UVic. You can read more about the history of the office in the 1978-2008 Special Anniversary Report: Building a Culture of Fairness at UVic.
The Ombudsperson can recommendations to persons in authority, produces an annual report, and can bring matters to the attention of the UVic community. They do not have the authority to make or replace policy, and do not have decision-making power for UVic, the UVSS, or the GSS.
The Ombudsperson works within a Terms of Reference and adheres to the Standards of Practice of the Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons (ACCUO). One of UVic’s former ombudspersons served as the association’s president from 2006 to 2010.
The Ombudsperson is guided by the members of the Ombudsperson Advisory Committee, with representatives from students, faculty, and the UVic administration. The Committee reviews budgets and reports from the Ombudsperson and receives complaints about the Ombudsperson. Members of the Committee are not involved in case reviews and do not have access to confidential information.
Comments, praises and complaints about the ombudsperson can be addressed to the chair of the Ombudsperson Advisory Committee at outreach [at] uvss.ca or by completing this survey.
The circle is a symbol of infinite or all possibilities. It is a safe, welcoming space where participation is encouraged and listening is practiced. As a representation of wholeness, it is also a reminder to view individual situations in relation to the whole.
With its three equal sides, the equilateral triangle is a symbol of balance and strength. It signals the Ombudsperson’s commitment to fairness, impartiality, and the absence of bias. It also represents the dynamic processes of transformation and creation: from the tension between two opposites, the addition of a third element brings different possibilities.
Flying up through the circle and triangle, the dove is a manifestation of spirit, transformation, and growth. It is a symbol of freedom and peace, which illustrates the independent nature of the Ombuds’ function, and the Ombudsperson’s role as agent for constructive change.