An ombudsperson provides confidential and informal assistance for resolving university-related concerns, independent of the university's formal administrative structure, and will consider all sides of an issue in a neutral manner.
Due to COVID restrictions, the Office of the Ombudsperson will be available for Microsoft Teams meetings from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday until further notice. We look forward to speaking with you. Please email ombuds@niu.edu for an appointment.
What We Will Do
We'll give you the opportunity to discuss and resolve problems outside of formal channels. The ombudsperson will:
Listen to you.
Provide information that relates to your situation.
Suggest courses of action.
Mediate.
Facilitate "difficult" conversations.
Help you find a path forward.
Help you understand policies and procedures that apply to you.
What We Don't Do
While the NIU ombudsperson provides an effective and valuable service, they cannot do certain things, including: