Office of the Ombudsperson

The Office of the Ombudsperson provides an independent, neutral, informal, and confidential resource for CSN faculty, staff, and administrators to address workplace issues and concerns. The Office of the Ombudsperson will confidentially receive complaints, concerns or inquiries about alleged acts, omissions,
improprieties, and/or broader systemic problems at CSN. In response, the Ombudsperson will listen to involved parties, review issues brought before it, provide information, make informal inquiries, offer options, make referrals and facilitate resolutions informally and impartially. Additionally, the
Ombudsperson may periodically recommend policy changes and institutional initiatives to the CSN community aimed at addressing ongoing or systemic concerns. Any faculty or professional staff member may use the services of the Office of the Ombudsperson. Faculty and staff are encouraged to make use of
the Ombudsperson’s services in an effort to resolve disputes informally and efficiently. However, consultation with an ombudsperson is purely voluntary and neither a prerequisite nor substitute for pursuing formal investigative, appeals or grievance processes available under CSN and NSHE policies
or applicable law. Given the unique status of CSN’s classified staff as employees under the State’s classified system, the Office of the Ombudsperson cannot offer services where classified staff members are primary parties in the dispute. The Ombudsperson will cease any involvement in a case
once formal or legal proceedings begin.