An article in the UM student newspaper reports that a three-year old grievance procedure for graduate students is rarely used. The procedure was implemented in 2009 for graduate students who felt abused by their supervisors. Despite the extensive work that went into creating the remedy, the vast majority of aggrieved graduate students chose instead to use informal mechanisms offered by the campus Ombuds office.

Ombuds Officer for Graduate Students Barbara Finkelstein said only about…

The association for Public Sector Ombudsmen will hold its 33rd annual conference in Spokane, Washington on October 10-12, 2012.*  The conference will be hosted by Tim Burns, City of Spokane Police Ombudsman, and the keynote address offered by Nina E. Olson, the National Taxpayer Advocate. The event will be preceded by two days of training on October 8-9.  USOA’s Conference and Planning Committee is seeking speakers interested in sharing their subject matter expertise relevant to the Public…