Ombuds Services

The UT Martin Ombuds Office is a confidential resource available to all faculty and staff.

Individual Meetings

Assist visitors to think through situations to decide what to do next:

• Listen and clarify what matters to them
• Map choices and reality-test next steps
• Coach for difficult conversations
• Explain formal processes and how to access them

This is a voluntary and neutral resource. Visitors choose what to do.

Workplace Conflict Management Workshops

• Navigating Difficult Conversations, Colleague to Colleague
• Navigating Difficult Conversations, for Managers
• Developing and implementing mission based, employee-centric values

Contact the Ombuds for additional workshops

Facilitated Conversations

An informal, voluntary, and confidential dialogue to clear up misunderstandings and discuss workable next steps. The Ombuds meets briefly with each person, sets shared ground rules, and facilitates a joint conversation that strives for balanced participation. To discuss fit or readiness, contact the UT Martin Ombuds.

Mediation

A structured, informal, and voluntary process for a defined workplace dispute. The Ombuds serves as a neutral to help participants understand concerns, generate options, and craft their own agreement. To discuss fit or readiness, contact the UT Martin Ombuds.

What to Expect

What to expect in your meeting

• First meetings are usually 60 minutes
• You set the goals for the conversation
• We outline options and plan next steps together

Prepare for your visit

• A short timeline of events
• Your goals and any deadlines
• What you have tried so far
• Key policies or emails if relevant

Please do not email any information to the ombuds.

If you are unsure where to start, come anyway. We will sort it out together.

What an Ombuds Doesn’t Do

• Doesn’t receive formal notice for the university
• Doesn’t conduct investigations or make findings
• Doesn’t keep identifying records for the university
• Doesn’t tell anyone what to do or solve their problems for them
• Doesn’t act as an advocate or decision maker
• Doesn’t provide therapy or mental health counseling
• Doesn’t replace formal processes or serve as a reporting channel
• Doesn’t offer legal advice or HR discipline

The Ombuds supports clear thinking and fair process so people can choose their own next steps.