How We Can Help

Any student, staff member, or faculty member of The New School can visit the Ombuds Office.

The office is open to all members of the university community who are seeking an independent, impartial service where they can discuss concerns and work toward resolving conflicts in a confidential and informal manner.

Any next steps are determined by you. When meeting with the ombuds, you have an opportunity to discuss your concerns and evaluate various formal and informal options for addressing the issue; you can then decide what next steps you will take.

The Ombuds Office does not accept or process formal complaints, and speaking with the ombuds does not trigger any formal action or notification—unless the concern involves an imminent risk of serious harm to the individual or others.

The ombuds communicates with university leadership to discuss trends and make recommendations for change to promote a healthy workplace culture and campus community. The ombuds has no authority to make or change any policy or decision at The New School.

• We do not investigate.
• We do not make or overrule university decisions.
• We do not serve as an advocate in formal proceedings.
• We do not keep formal records or accept formal complaints.

The ombuds can assist and guide you in resolving workplace conflicts or addressing concerns about misconduct. You may request that the ombuds facilitate a broader conversation. But the ombuds advocates not for any individual but rather, for fairness.

The ombuds offers services to help with a wide range of issues, including but not limited to:

• Preparing for or having a difficult conversation
• Clarifying a policy, process, or decision
• Addressing concerns about inequities in work, pay, or opportunities
• Handling interpersonal conflicts, office dynamics, or concerns about workplace climate
• Dealing with concerns about unethical, inappropriate, or harmful behavior
• Discussing health, safety, or wellness-related issues
• Exploring career development, job satisfaction, or security concern
• Dealing with procedural delays, lack of responsiveness, or institutional red tape
• Seeking guidance on fairness in academic, administrative, or disciplinary processes
• Requesting structured mediation or facilitated conversations
• Identifying formal channels for filing complaints or reporting issues

In accordance with our Code of Ethics, we function as an independent, confidential, informal, and impartial service for visitors. As such, we are separate and distinct from all other offices at the university. Because we are a voluntary service, you decide if you want to visit with us.

The Ombuds Office is a place for off-the-record, confidential conversations. All matters discussed with the ombuds are held in confidence except if, during the course of a confidential communication with the ombuds, the visitor gives the office permission to inquire about a situation on their behalf and/or connect them with another university office. The ombuds may break confidentiality in a situation where they determine there is an imminent threat of serious harm.

The ombuds does not keep formal records for The New School and is not authorized to accept claims against The New School.

The Ombuds Office does not keep records that contain information identifying individuals. The office will not confirm or deny the identity of someone who contacts the office or discuss a visitor’s concerns in any way that reveals an individual’s identity without that individual’s permission. Any notes taken during a conversation are destroyed when the matter is concluded.

While maintaining visitors’ confidentiality, the ombuds communicates with university leadership to discuss trends and make recommendations for change to promote a healthy campus climate for all. The ombuds compiles an annual report including this information in an anonymized manner.

Yes; you can choose to remain anonymous when contacting the Ombuds Office, and you control how much information you share.

Please note, however, that if you stay completely anonymous, the ombuds may gain only a limited understanding of the extent or nature of your concern and may have fewer options for assistance.

Also, even anonymous visitors must be current staff, students, or faculty members of the school to use the ombuds’ services.

Yes. While the Ombuds Office itself is an informal and confidential service, the Ombuds can help you understand formal processes and procedures at the school, such as filing complaints, submitting reports, or navigating policies. However, the Ombuds does not conduct or participate in formal investigations.

The Ombuds does not get involved in matters concerning existing collective bargaining agreements; rather, it is an informal service that can assist union leaders and union employees in addressing issues not governed by existing contracts.

The ombuds can help you explore formal options, explain relevant policies, and refer you to the appropriate office to file a complaint.

The Ombuds Office does not accept or process formal complaints, and speaking with the ombuds does not trigger any formal action or notification — unless the concern involves an imminent risk of serious harm to the individual or others.

The preferred way to schedule a consultation is by emailing the Ombuds Office at [email protected]. We also accept phone calls at 646.984.3420.

Since the ombuds is a voluntary service, consultation appointments are by request only. Appointments can be held in person or virtually. If our door is open, please stop by. Otherwise, to protect the confidentiality of scheduled appointments in the office, we encourage you to email or call to schedule a consultation.

Our office is located at: 66 West 12th Street, room 714, New York, NY 10011

You are welcome to contact us by phone at 646.984.3420. If we are available, we can speak with you. To protect the confidentiality of scheduled visitors, we ask that you stop by only if our door is open. Otherwise, it’s best to call or email us at [email protected] to request an appointment, so that you will have time set aside for your consultation. We’ll do our best to respond promptly and accommodate your schedule.

The ombuds opens the visit by describing our principles of independence, confidentiality, informality, and impartiality to help you understand our services and what we do and do not do. You are then invited to discuss your concern, and the ombuds listens. You can share as much or as little as you want, and we work with you to explore options, discuss strategies, and help you decide on next steps. With your permission, we can also connect you with university resources. Most consultations last about an hour. Visitors sometimes meet with us more than once to discuss a matter and decide on next steps.