Ombuds Services from the Office of Public Stewardship
The Maricopa Community Colleges Ombudsperson assists in better serving the interests of public accountability and responsiveness by offering informal and neutral assistance to internal and external constituents when they have disputes or concerns regarding the Maricopa Community Colleges.
The Ombudsperson assists in identifying how to navigate through the Maricopa system so a complaint or concern may be reviewed and resolved in a timely manner by the appropriate college or district authority. Services are free and individuals may seek guidance confidentially and without retaliation.
See our whistleblower protection policy.
*Note: Employment-related decisions that are subject to established employee grievance processes should still be vetted through those mechanisms.
Description of Services
- Provides informal, confidential and neutral guidance to both internal and external constituents that are seeking to voice a complaint about the Maricopa County Community College District.
- Outlines options for internal constituents on the proper process to address grievances or seek resolution.
- Handles concerns with discretion.
- Provides assistance upon request of a college or District official in that official's efforts to address a constituent's concerns.
- Searches for a resolution to disputes and help resolve in conjunction with appropriate college or district designees.
- Offers feedback and provides information and resources on policies, procedures, and services.
- Protects the parties’ right to privacy.
- Receives concerns from external constituents about some aspect of Maricopa's operations and forwards those concerns through the proper channels.
- Upon request from an external constituent, provides information about-and assistance in construing Maricopa policies, regulations, and procedures.
- Facilitates an external constituent's efforts to maneuver through what the constituent feels to be "bureaucratic red tape."
- Informs the individual(s) initiating the complaint of the review’s outcome and may offer advice as to an appropriate course of action.
- Attempts to guide parties toward options that are fair and conform to MCCCD policies.
- Delivers to proper individuals at Maricopa trend information compiled in the study of constituent concerns that serve to protect public resources or otherwise improve operations.
- Serve as an office of notice on behalf of the institution.
- Give legal advice or guidance.
- Maintain permanent records regarding individual concerns or issues presented by constituents.
- Engage in lobbying activity of any kind.
- Investigate any complaint for which either law or Maricopa policy already provides an adequate remedy.
- Circumvent established processes for grievances that are outlined in employee job group policy manuals.
- Make the final determination as to the resolution of a matter, or overturn decisions already made by the appropriate authority through the proper execution of established processes and procedures.
- Resolve student complaints over grades.
How the Process Works
A phone call or written correspondence is received from a constituent through the following channel(s):
Maricopa County Community College District Office of Public Stewardship
2411 W. 14th St.
Tempe, AZ 85281-6942
or
24/7 Reporting Hotline
866-447-9819
maricopa.ethicspoint.com
International Ombuds Association (IOA) Code of Ethics
Code of Ethics
Adopted 17 March 2022 by the Board of Directors of the International Ombuds Association. Effective 17 March, 2022.
Standards of Practice
Adopted 17 March 2022 by the Board of Directors of the International Ombuds Association. Effective 17 March, 2022.
Center for Mediation
The Center for Mediation, as part of the Office of Public Stewardship, provides interest based and collaborative services available to all residential and adjunct faculty, full and part-time staff, administration, departments, and cross-functional work teams in an effort to support collegial and respectful working environments.
The interest based approach encourages participants to work together with a mediator or facilitator (“neutral”) to manage conflict, engage in joint problem-solving, and to make decisions collaboratively. Mediation and facilitation services are:
- Confidential
- Solution focused
- Informal
Services may be requested voluntarily or offered as part of formal resolution processes. Any MCCCD staff, residential faculty, adjunct faculty or administrative personnel who wish to make a request for Mediation and Facilitation services or to obtain further information, please email the Mediation Center at mediation.center@domail.maricopa.edu.