The Ombuds Team assists members of the Access Network in navigating concerns and conflict as they arise during Access-related activities. Any member of the Access Network can reach out to the Ombuds team (or a subset of Ombuds team members) for support. The Ombuds Team also responds to reports of violations of the Access Network Code of Conduct, which applies to all network activities. Ombuds Team members listen, offer information, and help Access members examine options for resolving their concerns. They can facilitate various dispute resolution processes, such as information gathering, informal inquiries, informal mediation, and negotiation. The Ombuds team values the agency and tools for navigating conflicts brought by network community members; thus the role of the Ombuds team is to be an additional resource that offers help as it is requested.
On a case-by-case basis, the Ombuds team can support in navigating concerns and conflict as they arise during site-related activities. Involvement in site-specific concerns is dependent on Ombuds team capacity, as well as campus-specific rules about conflict resolution. If you are unsure if your situation is considered Access-related or site-related, feel free to contact an Ombuds team member.
Contact the Ombuds Team
The Ombuds teams consist of volunteers from site leaders and the Access Network Core Organizers:
- Joel Corbo (he/him), joel.corbo@colorado.edu
- Scott Franklin (he/him), svfsps@rit.edu
- Brianne Gutmann (she/they), brianne.gutmann@sjsu.edu
- Ben Pollard (he/him), ben.pollard@auckland.ac.nz
- Gina Quan (she/her), gina.quan@sjsu.edu
- Chandra Turpen (she/her), email: turpen@umd.edu
You can email a subset of Ombuds team or contact the entire Ombuds team at access-ombuds@googlegroups.com. We intend to recruit student representatives to join our team in advance of the 2026 Assembly.