Camosun College Student Society sponsored content
Hopefully, your time at Camosun will be a smooth and fun experience, but things don’t always go as planned. It’s important to know what services are in place to help out when you need a hand.
The ombudsperson at Camosun College is an advocate for fairness on campus. It’s important to note that the position—currently held by Rob Thompson—is impartial, so if you take your concerns to the ombudsperson, it’s not the same as taking them to a Camosun College staffperson. In fact, the position of ombudsperson at Camosun is funded in equal parts by the Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) and Camosun College, so half of the funding comes from students through student fees.
“Over 25 years ago the college and the CCSS decided to create the position of ombudsperson to help students,” says CCSS external executive Michel Turcotte. “The idea of joint funding was necessary to preserve the independence of the position and it is still one of the best models for a student fairness advocate that exists in BC.”
So when can you go to the ombudsperson? If you have questions or concerns that you feel haven’t been adequately dealt with in dealing with the college, the ombudsperson can give you advice on how to act and advocate on your own behalf. The ombudsperson will not take sides, but can impartially look at all sides of an issue.
The ombudsperson can also help explain college policies and procedures, facilitate communication, give advice on informally and formally resolving issues, and mediate disputes.
It’s important to note that the ombudsperson services are confidential.
“The ombudsperson is not like a student’s lawyer or advocate but is there to make sure that students are treated fairly and that all policies and rules are followed,” says Turcotte. “The informal resolution process is important at Camosun College and sometimes having an independent third party in the room can make all the difference and lead to better solutions.”
Also, the power remains with you when dealing with the ombudsperson: you get the final word about what to do about your particular situation and can also stop seeing the ombudsperson at any point.
Another mandate of the office of the ombudsperson is to undertake investigations or reviews of college policies or procedures that are generating systemic concerns or conflicts. The ombudsperson can’t make binding decisions but can point out these problem areas to Camosun.
“The ombudsperson’s suggestions and formal reports have often been very helpful in leading to changes that have benefited many students and changed unfair practices,” says Turcotte.
The Camosun ombudsperson acts within Camosun policies and in compliance with the Standards of Practice of the Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons.
To contact the ombudsperson, email ombuds@camosun.ca, call 250-370-3405, or see camosun.ca/services/ombudsperson.