Student Ombuds FAQs
What is a student Ombuds?
An Ombuds is a person who serves as an informal and impartial resource to assist students with issues and concerns related to their student experience. The goal is create a safe place for students who come to the Student Ombuds Office to discuss and research concerns. The Ombuds will listen to the concern or issue, ask questions to ensure they have a full understanding of the matter, brainstorm options, make the necessary phone calls to other business areas to resolve issues and weigh pros and cons of particular courses of action.
What are some examples of the issues/concerns a person might want to discuss with the WCU Student Ombuds?
The Student Ombuds Office can assist students with a variety of concerns that can fall into various topics such as:
- Preparing for a difficult conversation
- Violations of university policy
- Cultural misunderstandings/concerns
- Classroom/course concerns
- Concerns with the student’s university account
- Bursar
- Registrar
- Financial Aid
- Housing
- Health and safety concerns
Why does a student bring a concern to an Ombuds instead of reporting it to another campus department/office?
How do I seek the services of the WCU Student Ombuds?
You can contact the WCU Student Ombuds Office at 610-436-3356. Lisa Montgomery serves as the Student Ombuds. She can also be reached as follows:
Please be aware that use of email is not a secure or confidential method off communication.
Is the information shared with the Student Ombuds confidential?
Information shared with the Ombuds is considered private in nature and is not shared with any member within or outside of the campus community. Exceptions occur if the student visiting the office grants permission to the Student Ombuds to discuss the information provided during the meeting. In addition, the Student Ombuds will be obligated by law or policy to disclose private/confidential information in certain situations. For example, the Student Ombuds is a "Responsible Employee" per the WCU Sexual Misconduct Policy and therefore must report possible sexual misconduct violations (Title IX), as well as instances of child abuse and neglect. In addition, the Ombuds must report crimes to WCU Public Safety, in accordance with the Clery and Campus SaVE requirements. In addition, the Ombuds may break confidentiality if deemed necessary to ensure safety when there is a threat of harm to self or others.