University Ombudsman Office

History

The Office of the University Ombudsman was initially established at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in September of 1969.  Discussion concerning the creation of an ombudsman office began in late 1966 due to conflicts between students and the administration relating to policy decisions and students’ perceptions that they had inadequate avenues for redress of alleged injustices.  Campus-wide discussions and proposals continued through June of 1969, when the proposal was approved to establish the office on an experimental basis for the 1969-70 academic year.  The office was officially established on June 15, 1969, and the first University Ombudsman (Mary Walker) was appointed in September 1969 by Chancellor Robert MacVicar.  Mrs. Walker resigned her position in February 1972; Ms. Kris Haedrich was subsequently named to the post, which she held until her resignation in April of 1974.  (Dr.) Ingrid Gadway (Clarke) was then appointed in June 1974, where she remained until her retirement in April 2000.  Ms. Lynn M. Connley, then Associate Director with 25 years’ experience in the University Ombudsman Office, was named Interim Director.  A six-month search process culminated in Ms. Connley being appointed as the next permanent Director in November 2000.  Donald L. Bixler was hired in July 2001, after a subsequent search to fill the Associate Director position.

During Dr. Clarke’s tenure, the Office continued to flourish and establish communication and professional relationships with other ombudsman offices in the Midwest and across the nation.  In 1975, SIUC’s University Ombudsman staff attended the first National Ombudsman Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.  The University Ombudsman Office continued to be in the forefront of the developing organizational ombudsman profession and was one of the driving forces in the creation of the University and College Ombudsman Association (UCOA) in 1985.  In fact, Dr. Clarke served as UCOA’s first President.  SIUC’s University Ombudsman Office maintained its professional affiliation with UCOA until that organization formally merged with The Ombudsman Association (TOA) to form the new International Ombudsman Association (IOA) in 2005.  Since the merger, the University Ombudsman Office has maintained its professional affiliation with IOA through active membership status, committee service, and continued professional training and development of both the Director and Associate Director.

University Ombudsman Office

Woody Hall C302 - Mail Code 4708
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
900 South Normal Avenue
Carbondale, Illinois 62901

Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday

Telephone: 618 | 453.2411
(voice mail after hours)

Fax: 618 | 453.2260

Email: ombuds@siu.edu
(Please remember that email is not appropriate for confidential communication.)