For coping with these subjects, university
ombuds strategies are predominantly communicative in nature and include such well know techniques as active listening, giving hearing to feelings, defusing rage, giving advice, creative problem solving and developing options, investigation and fact findings, shuttle diplomacy, and often mediation and coaching (Harrison, 2004; Rowe, 1987, 1991, 1995; Robbins & Deane, 1986).
Unfortunately, in July 2005 the Coalition of Federal
Ombuds, consisting of both legislative and executive specialized ombudsmen for federal agencies, decided to adopt the new ABA standards, along with additional guidance notes for federal offices.
The
Ombuds Office in Peru, for example, has been committed since 2002, when it published the first report on EC."
Ombuds are able to provide unqualified confidentiality because they are not part of any formal management structure.
The ABA has identified three critical characteristics for
ombuds offices: independence, impartiality, and confidentiality.
Describing his
ombuds role as "a kind of partnership with the listener," Dvorkin spoke of "putting the public into National Public Radio."
The
ombuds must be fully trained in negotiations and dispute resolution techniques and be willing to take bold action when called for in the course of carrying out his duties.
Another project, Online
Ombuds Office, aims to create an interactive virtual environment called "LegalSpace" to resolve disputes online.
The association holds an annual conference, sponsors research to study the function and effectiveness of
ombuds programs, and sets standards for the profession.
Art Nauman even
ombuds himself and confesses his own error for having written "no less than five" instead of "no fewer than five" Some explain just how the subject matter complained about happened--tracing its origins and reasons--thus contributing to public understanding of the news process, and its fallibility.
According to the
Ombuds Report, several of the deceased had died from illnesses that questioned the conditions/circumstances under which they were being cared for and the quality of care they received at the NGOs, e.g.
DEREK DOUGHTY has been named assistant
ombuds at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.