UC Irvine Appoints Ombuds Office Director

The University of California, Irvine has announced the appointment of Michael Chennault as University Ombuds and Director of the Office of the Ombudsman. Chennault has been with the UCI ombuds office since 2001 and, most recently, has been serving as the interim director and coordinating the campus mediation program. Chennault will oversee an office of seven, including three associate ombuds. (Thanks, Gecole.)

Cal Caucus Annual Conference in Pacific Grove

The California Caucus of College and University Ombuds has announced the details of its 34th Annual Conference at the Asilomar Conference Center on the Monterey Penninsula, November 11-14. The theme of the conference is "Ombudsing in an Age of Anxiety: Connecting Face to Face." In addition to the popular social events, the program will include sessions on:

• Bullying in the Workplace
• What Would You Do?
• How I Made a Difference in an Anxious Case
• What Causes Anxiety?
• Communication in an Ombuds World
• Group Facilitation
• Intervening with Suicidal Ideation
• Electronic Media & the Role of the Ombuds

The cost for the event, including three nights lodging, is just $450 (double occupancy) if you register by August 31. Contact Lewis Redding, the JPL Ombuds, for more details (lewis[dot]a[dot]redding[at-sign]jpl[dot]nasa[dot]gov).

Don't let the name put you off. The conference is well attended by people who are from outside California, who do not work in higher education, and who are not ombuds.

Cal State San Bernardino Appoints Ombuds

After a six-month search, the California State University at San Bernardino has appointed Tera Bisbee as its new ombuds. Bisbee earned a bachelor's in psychology from Sonoma State University, a master's degree in education from UC Santa Barbara and another master's degree in counseling psychology from Argosy University. Previously, she was the director of human resources at the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo. (CSUSB News; Press Enterprise.)

Fall 2007 Caucus at Santa Monica College

Tina Feiger and Lucy Kluckhohn Jones, the Student Ombuds at Santa Monica College will co-organize the next meeting of the Southern California Ombuds Group. The caucus will take place Friday, October 19, from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm at a location to be determined. Details are being finalized. Contact Tina Feiger (Feiger[underscore]Tina[at-sign]smc[dot]edu) if you can't wait for information.

Job Posting: UC Santa Barbara

The Office of the Ombuds at the University of California, Santa Barbara is looking for an Associate Ombuds. The position is 80 to 100% FTE, with benefits, and pays $57,700-$64,324 per year at the 100% FTE rate. Applications are due by July 25. (UCSB HR, reference job ID #20070361, or 805-893-3166.)

Bill to Regulate "Diploma Mills" Would Create Classical Ombuds

The California State Assembly considered a bill (SB 823) to re-establish regulations on private for-profit postsecondary schools including so-called “diploma mills,” that serve an estimated 400,000 students. The bill, called the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2007, was introduced because a previous regulatory act had lapsed, leaving the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). Along with re-establishing the BPPVE, the bill establishes the position of ombudsperson to act as an intermediary between students and schools. In addition, the ombudsperson would review and comment on proposed legislation and bureau reports, and make recommendations for an independent monitor. (California Progress Report; Text of SB 823.)