Confidential Sessions

Individual Meeting

Come meet with us for coaching and guidance as you strategize and think through the best way to navigate a difficult situation.

In an individual off-the-record meeting, an Ombuds will:

• Help you better understand the conflict
• Offer a neutral perspective
• Develop strategies with you to address concerns in a way that feels most achievable and feasible to you
• Share communication and conflict management tools and techniques
• Identify campus policies, offices, and resources that might be helpful to you
• Provide conflict management coaching as you explore next steps

All meetings are voluntary and confidential.

To schedule a meeting, please contact our office by calling (530) 754-7233 or (916) 734-1600.

If you have already met with an ombuds individually and you are going to be participating in a mediation, you can find out more about mediation through the Ombuds Office, including our practices and important related documents.

Learn more about the principles that guide our work.

Mediation

Mediation is an informal, voluntary, and confidential approach to conflict management that an Ombuds may consider in certain situations involving two or more parties in conflict. The purpose of mediation is to give parties an opportunity to reach a greater understanding of the underlying issues and potentially work toward mutually agreeable solutions.

Trained, impartial mediators help guide the conversation and facilitate communication to enable parties to share their stories and listen to one another. Ultimately the participants have sole responsibility for creating and implementing any solutions they agree on. Mediation works best when participants are willing to share their perspectives in a respectful way as well as listen to the other's perspective.

All participants in a potential mediation must first meet individually and confidentially with an Ombuds to discuss their own concerns. The Ombuds will determine whether mediation is an appropriate option and may choose not to move forward with a mediation at any point. Additionally, participants may opt out at any time.

There may be several individual meetings between each party and the Ombuds to prepare for a mediation session. Participants may find individual meetings with the Ombuds beneficial, even if mediation cannot take place.