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2 students to help pick ombudsperson

The University's ombudsperson -- an administrative figure who settles student disputes and helps students navigate the layers of academic bureaucracy -- has been without a permanent appointment for more than a year.

But early this week, two students were appointed to serve on a search committee to select the next ombudsperson, and Dean of Students Royster Harper said yesterday the next ombudsperson should be in place July 1.

"I would love to get the search conducted and have a candidate for students in May," Harper said. "I am anticipating a committee of seven, two of whom will be students."

Harper said the other five committee members will be faculty and staff.

Since January 1995, Jennifer Walters has been serving as the ombudsperson on an interim basis. Walters formerly served as the assistant ombudsperson at Michigan State University.

"The ombudsperson helps students with disputes with individuals and the University," Walters said. "I'm a neutral party, someone who can facilitate a student getting through the process."

Harper said the search is not exclusive to University candidates.

"The person needs to have some experience with mediation and conflict resolution, and someone who has a lot of integrity," Harper said. "Experience on the University campus would be great, but not necessary."

Michigan Student Assembly Rep. Probir Mehta, chair of the Campus Governance Committee, was responsible for finding two students to serve on the search committee.

"We only had a week to conduct the search," Mehta said. "We tried to get applicants, but there weren't many at all, which is a damn shame."

CGC selected MSA Reps. Olga Savic and Michael Nagrant. Savic said the choices were greatly limited.

"The reason why both students (on the panel) are in MSA is because we couldn't find anyone in the larger student body pool," Savic said.

Although the Division of Student Affairs is attempting to create new sources for conflict mediation, Harper said the ombudsperson occupies a unique role.

"There are many more concerns that students have that are a violation of community norms, but are a problem," Harper said. "The ombudsperson is intended to be an objective, fair person who helps."

Walters is scheduled to step down as interim ombudsperson June 30, with the permanent appointment starting July 1.