What the ombudsman can and cannot do

Ombudsman services are not an alternative to internal complaint resolution mechanisms; the ombudsman allows existing self-regulatory mechanisms to run their course, and intervenes only when existing recourses have been exhausted or cannot be exercised.

The ombudsman can:

• listen in objectivity and without bias;
• investigate to hear the different perspectives of information;
• prevent or resolve a situation in which principles of equity may not have been respected;
• provide further information on regulations, issues, and implications of different situations;
• provide references to available resources;
• participate in the resolution process for mutual satisfaction;
• facilitate exchanges with faculty authorities;
• obtain any documentation relevant to the investigation;
• contact anyone relevant to providing further information on a situation;
• intervene in trying to resolve disputes;
• provide recommendations to improve student file management practices;
• follow up on recommendations with relevant authorities.

The ombudsman cannot:

• act as a legal representative or advisor;
• act as a substitute in university administration;
• intervene in cases involving the application or interpretation of collective agreements or work protocols;
• intervene when a recourse has not been exercised;
• intervene when the situation is the subject of legal recourse or when external proceedings have been initiated;
• act as a court of law or impose a point of view;
• act as a transmission agent;
• be involved in administrative and decision-making structures;
• process requests that are not relevant to the UdeS.