The Boston University Office of the Ombuds is a confidential, neutral, and independent<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>resource providing informal assistance to faculty, staff, and students on the Charles<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>River and Medical Campuses.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That assistance may be as simple as locating the right resource at BU. More often, however, ombuds assist with highly sensitive, often complex issues, for which there is no ready-made or simple solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Office is a purely voluntary resource. No one is required to use it, but those who do will be understood to have agreed to respect and abide by the principles on which it was created and not to call the ombuds staff to testify with respect to confidential communications in formal or legal proceedings.<\/span><\/p>\n Because ombuds work is confidential and off-the-record, <\/span>contacting us<\/a> can be a good first step when you don\u2019t know where to turn for help.<\/span><\/p>\n The Office is staffed<\/a> by three professional staff ombuds who act as BU\u2019s designated third-party neutrals, and practice in accordance with <\/span> the International Ombudsman Association<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>Code of Ethics<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Standards of Practice.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n In the course of communication with an ombuds, some visitors to the Office choose to give an ombuds permission to take action that would disclose their identity, while others ask that no action be taken if there is a risk of disclosure. You may choose to contact the Ombuds anonymously.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n An ombuds will respect the visitor\u2019s choice regarding disclosure, except when an ombuds determines there is an imminent risk of serious harm.<\/span><\/p>\n While an ombuds may take a variety of steps towards addressing concerns, the Office provides <\/span>informal<\/span><\/i> assistance only. The Office is not authorized to receive notice of claims against Boston University and does not make decisions or determine policy for the University. Formal actions are the purview of other offices.<\/span><\/p>\n