Meeting Prep

Meeting with the University Ombuds office is an opportunity to talk through a concern, challenge, question, or conflict in a confidential setting. Many visitors are not sure what they need, what options are available, or even how to describe the situation they’re experiencing. That’s okay.

Preparing before your Ombuds meeting is completely optional. You do not need to have anything figured out before we meet. That’s okay too. Just in case, here are some things to consider.

How do you schedule a meeting?

To help preserve confidentiality of those who visit our office in person, we require a scheduled appointment. We do not maintain open hours or allow walk-ins. That said, you can easily make an appointment with us directly using our Calendly app, which is found on our Contact Us page: https://ombuds.charlotte.edu/contact-us/. You can meet with either ombuds or both. Be sure to check both calendars for the best availability.

What to Expect

Our meeting will have the following general flow:

  • We will explain the four unique aspects of the ombuds role (described below)
  • You will share about the challenge you’re facing, and we’ll listen and ask questions
  • As a thought partner, we will help you identify options and possible next steps
  • We will help you think through some of the pros and cons of the various choices.
  • You can think about these options on your own time and decide what, if anything, you would like to do moving forward. No decisions need to be made during our meeting.

Understanding the Unique Ombuds Role

The University Ombuds office is a confidential, informal, impartial, and independent resource.

  • It is important to emphasize that we are confidential and off-the-record. We protect the identities of who talks to us and what we talk about. Practically speaking, email is not secure nor confidential, so we request that visitors avoid sending us detailed information. We would much prefer to have a discussion about it off-the-record.
  • As an impartial resource, we are designated as a neutral third party. So we do not take sides or advocate for any specific person, entity, or outcome.
  • As an informal resource, we do not investigate or adjudicate formal processes (or impede on existing formal avenues), and do not:
    • receive formal complaints
    • conduct investigations
    • have the authority to make or change decisions
    • determine whether policies have been violated
    • advocate for any individual, group, or outcome

If you are considering pursuing a formal process, we can help you think through what options might be available and help connect you with those formal resources.

It is important to note that mentioning concerns with the University Ombuds is not the same as notifying UNC Charlotte of a problem. The Ombuds is not authorized to receive notice on behalf of the university.

  • Because the University Ombuds is established as an independent resource, we are outside of the administration and have no power or authority to make or change decisions. However, we can engage with anyone at the university to help informally facilitate resolution to issues and concerns.

Discussing Your Challenge

In the conversation, we ask questions to understand the situation from several angles. We want to know about the problem itself, but we are also interested in what matters most to the visitor and what they hope to achieve. Learning about these underlying interests often brings out options that were not obvious at first. Visitors can expect questions along these lines:

  • How would you summarize your concerns? What are the main issues for you?
  • What problem or problems are you trying to solve?
  • What are your underlying interests? Why is this important to you?
  • What impact(s) are these issues having?
  • How have you tried to solve this already? What has worked? What hasn’t worked?
  • What outcome(s) are you seeking to achieve? What would make the situation better?
  • What pathways do you believe could make that happen?

Consider Your Story

You may want to think about how you would describe the situation. Some find it helpful to use the SBIR structure (developed by the Center for Creative Leadership):

Situation | Behavior | Impact | Reflection

  • Situation: Describe the situation where the observed behavior occurred.
  • Behavior: Describe the person’s behavior – physical, observable action.
  • Impact: Share the impact of their behavior on you and others present.
  • Reflection: What would have worked better? How could that have been handled differently?

Additional questions to consider include:

  • Have you already taken any steps to address the issue?
  • Are there important events, conversations, or decisions that seem relevant?

You do not need to organize everything perfectly. We can help identify the key issues together.

Consider Any Questions or Concerns About Formal Processes

Some visitors come to the Ombuds Office because they are unsure whether they should pursue a formal process. If that is part of your concern, you may want to think about questions such as:

  • What are the potential benefits or risks of taking formal action?
  • What alternatives exist to a formal process?
  • Which offices or resources may be appropriate for my situation?

We are happy to discuss these questions and help you understand the landscape of available options.

Bringing Documents or Other Information

If you have documents, emails, policies, notes, or other materials that provide context, you are welcome to bring them to your meeting. To help maintain confidentiality, we encourage visitors to avoid sending detailed information about their concern by email whenever possible. It is often better to discuss sensitive information during the meeting. Please note that bringing documentation is entirely optional. Many conversations are productive without any documents at all.

Most Importantly: You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out

People contact the Ombuds Office at many different stages of a concern. Some visitors want to explore options. Others have questions about university processes. Some simply want a confidential space to think through a situation. Wherever you are in the process, we’re here to listen, help you clarify what matters most to you, and explore possible paths forward.