Aspects of the ombudistic counselor's role are nobility, or standing between the student and the school; adovocacy, or advocating needed school changes; acting, or doing what is necessary to help the client; and criticizing, or telling it like it is," to improve rather than weaken the system. (Author)

Author advocates the use of an ombudsman and offers guidelines for making this individual an effective one. (Editor)

Long-term care ombudsman programs are charged with resolving complaints and solving problems of elderly persons in long-term care settings. Conducted content analysis of annual ombudsman program reports sent to Administration on Aging from 49 states in 1990. Found substantial variation in documented information at both state and local levels and…

This paper examines the ombudsman concept; factors which influenced the adoption of the ombudsman concept by Canadian universities; factors associated with the effectiveness of ombudsman offices; and comparative studies of university ombudsmen. It concludes that programs following the traditional ombudsman model appear to be most accepted and…

One of the central aims of the police reform process in Northern Ireland has been to increase the legitimacy of the policing structures and police officers amongst those who are served and policed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). To meet this aim, structures have been created to ensure that the PSNI is accountable to all sections…

The ombudsman, often defined as a kind of inspector general, is usually empowered to: (1) investigate in confidence, without restraint, either upon receipt of a complaint or on the ombudsman's initiative; (2) recommend to any official appropriate review of the facts; and (3) publicize findings or publicly criticize malfeasance. Various…

This report of the Ombudsman at Cornell University discusses: the composition of the staff; the volume of work; the sources of the complaints (the office serves the whole University community); the classification of complaints by subject, and source of complaints by College or Agency; the procedures used in handling the complaints; the types of…

To help bridge the gap between student services and student complaints, some 30 colleges and universities are experimenting with a new concept in higher education called the ombudsman. Their objective is to defuse explosive student attitudes stemming from irritation with the institution by providing, in addition to the normal channels of…

In a case study involving the St. Petersburg, Florida, "Times" and "Independent," two questions were asked: How is the newspaper ombudsman perceived by the other members of the staff, including both management and nonmanagement? and How do opinions about the ombudsman differ, if at all, between a newspaper staff which has an…

The ombudsman model offers large residential facilities for the mentally retarded a way of meeting the needs of the people who live there and monitoring institutional dysfunction. (JG/Author)

Describes the work of the Center for the Study of the Center for the Study of Student Citizenship, Rights, and Responsibilities. (SP)

Article focuses attention on the experiences of the Ombudsman at Sacramento State College, Sacramento, California. (CB)

Discusses a network of child advocacy councils in Israel in relation to child advocacy efforts in the United States. Describes the Jerusalem Children's Council and the work of its Ombudsman for Children. (RJC)

A survey of 754 older adults serving as ombudsmen in nursing facilities found that formal education and follow-up training enhanced efficacy. Negative initial training was the most important influence on diminished efficacy. Those with higher efficacy and more positive initial training expressed less worry. (SK)