Journal of the International Ombuds Association (JIOA)

IOA Journal Volume 16, Issue 1 (2023)


The Visitor Experience and Standards Alignment Audit: A Framework for Ombuds Programs
MARTHA N. PATRICK
October 2023

Abstract:

The Visitor Experience and Standards Alignment Audit is a self-assessment framework and process designed specifically for ombuds programs. The audit is grounded in the customer-focused service improvement principles of Jan Carlzon and draws from the theories of learning organizations developed by Chris Argyris and Peter Senge. The audit takes participants through a series of stages and exercises with two primary goals: understanding and improving our visitors’ experience and increasing our fidelity to our professional and operational standards. The audit process is designed to be iterative and its insights to provide data needed for continual improvement.

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An Ombuds Reflection on Student Stopouts in Higher Education
Angella Wint
June 2023

Abstract:
An Ombuds reflection on student stopouts in higher education. This paper discusses the barriers that force students to choose to temporarily stopout or pause their education and the Ombuds’ influential role in identifying, preventing, limiting, and aiding in the reenrollment of stopouts.

 
 
 
 
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Reimagining Ombudsing. An Operational Reflection on How the Pandemic has Impacted the Work of Ombuds.
Fred Wright
January 2023

Abstract:
This paper is a write-up of a presentation made to IOA’s 2022 conference. It explores the incredibly disruptive impact the COVID pandemic has had, not only upon world communities, but also upon organisational life. Ombuds have been at the pointy end of this impact, and it is timely to reflect upon the impact and the challenges that the COVID pandemic has had upon the work of ombuds. Out of the adversity of the pandemic has come opportunities for the Ombuds profession to reimagine its role, and some of these opportunities are considered in this paper.

 

 

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About the JIOA

The Journal of the International Ombudsman Association (JIOA) is a peer-reviewed online journal for scholarly articles and information relevant to the ombudsman profession. As members of a relatively new profession, we continually strive to understand, define and clarify the role and function of the professional organizational ombudsman.

The JIOA will help foster recognition that what we do for our agencies, corporations, colleges, and universities is worthy of study. While we must vigorously protect the confidentiality of our interactions, we can still study and be studied to understand what we do and how we do it; what works well and what doesn't work; what our options are; how social, technical and legal changes may impact us; what the profile and career development of ombudsman professionals might be, and other matters of interest.

The JIOA can facilitate a greater interest in ombudsing, enhance our professional standing, and serve to give us a better understanding of our dynamic roles and the impact on our institutions and agencies. The Journal also will allow IOA members, other ombudsmen, and other professionals to reach out to their colleagues with their ideas, research findings, theories, and recommendations for best practices and to engage in ongoing discussions of critical issues.

Learn more about the JIOA and the manuscript submission process.

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If you have any questions about the JIOA please contact the co-editors via email at [email protected].

  • Shannon Lynn Burton, Michigan State University
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