Skip to content

Ombuds

Ombuds Services

The Ombuds Office provides local support and effects global change.

The Ombuds offer local support through coaching, active listening, generating options, providing information, making referrals, mediating, and facilitating difficult conversations.  Simultaneously, they effect global change by alerting University leaders to trends of issues and concerns, making recommendations for change, and training the Clemson community in conflict resolution and productive communication.  The Ombuds can work with individuals and large groups and can help with proactive and reactive interventions.  Contact the Ombuds today to discuss more.

Contact the Ombuds Office
Students walking at Douthit with a view of the Tillman Clock in the background.

The Ombuds Can:

  • Listen and serve as a confidential sounding board.
  • Coach you through your conflict.
  • Help you generate options and evaluate what option is best for your situation.
  • Help you reframe your situation and see it from multiple perspectives.
  • Refer you to resources across Clemson University.
  • Answer your questions about University policy, procedures, and formal channels.
  • Educate you on conflict resolution, communication, restorative justice, and self-advocacy.
  • Mediate conflicts and help you establish lines of communication.
  • Facilitate difficult conversations among individuals or larger groups.
  • Offer training in conflict resolution and communication strategies.
  • Identify systemic trends and report them to University leaders before they escalate.
  • Recommend changes in policies and procedures to University leaders.

The Ombuds Cannot: 

  • Accept notice on behalf of the University.
  • Advocate on behalf of anyone or on behalf of the University.
  • Give legal advice.
  • Make binding decisions or change policies.
  • Participate in any formal process, procedure, or investigation.
  • Create records with identifiable information.

There is no limit to the issues you can bring to the Ombuds Office.  If you would be better served by a different office or resource, we can make sure you have that information.  If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, we’ll help you work through it.