The Office of the Ombuds is Here to Support You and Your Students!

As you continue with the semester, we want to assure you that the Office of the Ombuds is here to support you. If faculty/staff, administrators, students or affiliates of Northern Virginia Community College are reluctant to formally report any of the following situations, the Office of the Ombuds can serve as a confidential, neutral and independent resource to address:

• Student issues (e.g., unethical behavior, violation of College policies/procedures).
• Claims of workplace misconduct/prohibited conduct (including but not limited to bullying; abuse of power; harassment; discrimination; retaliation; and disruptive behaviors in the workplace such as rudeness, unethical behavior or gossiping).
• Policy/procedure concerns or violations (e.g., safety/health, misuse of state equipment, potential conflict of interest violations).
• Problems or concerns to the attention of the immediate supervisor as a probationary or new employee when you aren’t sure if you have all the facts.

When you find yourself seeking informal guidance, assistance with navigating NOVA procedures or further information on formal reporting processes and external resources that can help you make an informed decision, the Office of the Ombuds is here for you.

Learn more by reviewing the Office of the Ombuds website. If you have questions, please reach out to the Office of the Ombuds at EmployeeOmbuds@nvcc.edu (for employees) or Ombuds@nvcc.edu (for student matters).

Submitted by:
Dr. Shawn Addison, Employee Ombudsperson, SAddison@nvcc.edu