Welcome

The Office of the Ombuds was established in 2011 to promote a supportive learning and working environment at UCSF. The office serves as a resource for all members of the UCSF community (faculty, staff, administrators, students, post-doctoral fellows and other trainees) and offers a safe, confidential place to talk about campus-related problems.

The Ombuds will listen and review matters; explore options; make inquiries and make referrals as appropriate; and/or facilitate resolutions in an impartial manner.

Confidentiality

Use of services provided by the Office of the Ombuds is voluntary and confidential. Communication to the Office does not constitute notice to the University. If you would like to put the University on notice regarding a specific situation, the Ombuds can provide you with information about how to do that.

All conversations with the Office of the Ombuds are confidential and off the record. The Office does not create or maintain records for the University. Any notes taken during the course of a case are routinely destroyed on a quarterly basis once the Office determines the case is closed.

Please visit our Charter Agreement for more information about the role and practices of the Office.

Our Mission

The Mission of the Office of the Ombuds is to humanize the experience of working and learning at UCSF by providing a confidential, impartial, informal and independent problem-solving resource that includes mediation and group facilitation services to members of the diverse UCSF community predicated on the principles of fairness, equity and respect.

Our Services

• INDIVIDUAL SERVICES: Designed as a means to clarify interests, issues, and options through consultation or coaching on conflict situations.
  
  
• TWO OR MULTIPLE-PARTY MEDIATIONS: Mediations are negotiations facilitated by an impartial third-party who, through a relatively defined process, assists the parties in moving to resolution.
  
  
• GROUP TRAININGS OR FACILITATION: Addresses existing complaints or promote team-building to manage conflict in a pro-active, skill-building fashion.

           Read more about our services and situations which may benefit from contacting our office.

Where Do You Start?

Any individual may confidentially call the Office of the Ombuds at any point in a conflict or difficult situation. You may call as an initial starting point when you are not sure what to do. You may also initiate a call on behalf of a group (i.e., a manager interested in a group facilitation or training).

In order to protect confidentiality, the Office of the Ombuds prefers to conduct business in person or by phone rather than e-mail as electronic communications are not always private.

To make an appointment, please call us at 502-9600 or visit us at 3333 California Street, Suite 309 (Laurel Heights).

The Office of the Ombuds continues to offer Work Life Services as provided through the former Work Life Resource Center. If you are seeking information about the Office of Sexual Harassment Prevention and Resolution, now located in the Office of Diversity and Outreach, it can be found here.

Office of the Ombuds | 3333 California Street, Suite 309 | San Francisco, CA 94143-1264 | (415) 502-9600
© 2011 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.