Florida Board of Governors Information about Ombudsmen

In December of 2009 the Board of Governors revised its statute defining the role of the student ombudsman. The revised statute is as follows:

6.011 Student Ombudsman  

1. Each university shall establish and maintain a student ombudsman function.  
2. The ombudsman shall not advocate for any individual, but shall advocate for fair and equitably administered processes and shall facilitate discussion to identify best options to resolve problems. A student’s use of the ombudsman is voluntary and shall not be a required step in any grievance process.  
3. Each university’s ombudsman and operation shall be guided by recognized professional standards of practice for the role of the ombudsman, including the principles of independence, neutrality, confidentiality, and informality, unless otherwise required by law.  
4. Additional roles or responsibilities within the university assigned to the ombudsman shall not compromise the ombudsman’s neutrality in responding to an inquiry, concern, or conflict.  
5. Information on the ombudsman and its role shall be made readily available to all students, faculty, and staff and appear, at a minimum, in the student handbook as provided in BOG Regulation 6.010.  

Authority: Section 7(d), Art. IX, Fla. Const., History: New 12-10-09.

For more information about Ombudsman in the State University System, please see: Florida Board of Governor’s website, or International Ombudsman Association website.