The University of Iowa Homepage Report suggests improvement in workplace conflict training, timeliness The University of Iowa needs to provide its department managers with better training in handling workplace conflicts, according to the 13th annual report from the Office of the Ombudsperson. This initiative, along with assessing the unmet needs of UI graduate students, will be focus areas for the next year in the ombuds office, Sagen said. During the last year, the office saw a significant rise in the number of student contacts, primarily due to an increase in graduate student complaints. Overall, the office handled 37 percent more student cases than in the 1997-98 academic year and 31 percent fewer staff cases than in the previous year. This year's report also notes that the University needs to be more timely in responding to questions and concerns.
People deserve answers.
They may not like the answer they get, but they at least deserve to get a prompt response. President Mary Sue Coleman appoints University ombuds-persons. Sagen serves as the staff ombudsperson, and Lois Cox has just completed a two-year term as faculty ombudsperson. Bernard Sorofman, a UI associate professor of pharmacy, has been appointed to replace Cox.