A Conversation with IU’s Ombudsperson

As the academic year winds down and many take the summer months to rest and recharge, we’d like to take a moment to introduce a valuable resource at Indiana University—one that may be beneficial to you in the future. Earlier this year, the university established the role of Graduate School Ombudsperson, a position created to support graduate students, faculty and staff in navigating challenges they may encounter. We had the opportunity to speak with Carissa Ciampaglia, who stepped into this role in January, to learn more about the services she provides and how she can assist the IU community. 

Ms. Ciampaglia relocated from Los Angeles, where she worked as a small claims court and community mediator. During her time in LA, she was overwhelmed with the “sue culture,” where individuals and corporations were quick to jump to litigation. This fueled her fire to encourage mediation when possible. She is quick to share that she is not a therapist or counselor, though she worked for years as a behavioral interventionist. Ms. Ciampaglia shares this thought, “I like the idea that through conflict management, conflict resolution, through mediation and all these alternative avenues of communication...we’re finding ways to exist together.” 

You can visit the Ombuds Office in The Wells Library East Tower, 1320 E. 10th St., Floor 5- Graduate School Offices #546V, or email ombuds@iu.edu. 

Mission & Values

The main standards of practice of the ombudsperson are confidentiality, impartiality, independence and informality.⁶  Ombudspersons must uphold a code of ethics; act with honesty and integrity, promote fairness, remain non-judgmental, promote dignity and belonging, actively listen, promote self-determination and individual empowerment, and endeavor to be a trusted and respected informal resource.⁷  

The mission of the ombudsperson at IU is “to provide support for all individuals and groups as they explore and determine options to help resolve conflicts, navigate relationships or complex concerns (and) to bring systemic trends to the attention of leadership in order to inform decision making.”⁸ This vision emphasizes a focus on “a respectful, and civil community.” The ombuds office is a no barrier, first stop where any person or group (not limited to the University Graduate School) can seek information from an impartial person.⁹ 

An ombudsperson is entirely independent within the university. There is no connection to Human Resources, academic advisors, counselors or other administrative staff. The intentionality of this office is to have a neutral, confidential resource for conflict resolution. 

Who can visit the Ombudsperson?

The office of the Ombuds is located in the Graduate School and is actively engaging graduate students who are seeking support for concerns and conflicts. Ms. Ciampaglia stressed that she is here to support anyone who walks into her office in good faith, keeping with the IOA Standards of serving the general community, whether graduate student, faculty or staff." Her role is impartial, and she sees herself as “‘omnipartial’...I’m not on anyone’s side but I’m also on everyone’s side.” She adds, “I cannot advocate. I can be an ally, but I cannot advocate.”  

Ms. Ciampaglia is efficient in trying to resolve conflicts, with three months as the longest duration of handling situations. She often starts with weekly sessions and then tapers down to biweekly for two months. Ms. Ciampaglia says, by the end of the sessions, “Hopefully, you’ve got some skills, you’re feeling confident in those skills, and you’re only going to come back if there is an acute problem. You should be able to manage yourself. You’re not going to see me forever. I will move you forward.”  

Ally Tips

Ms. Ciampaglia offered helpful tips to mitigate nerves and handle conflict: 

Breathe: Breathing calms the nervous system.¹⁰ Actively breathe in the moment, to the point where it is obvious to people in the room that you are breathing. For example, if there is yelling happening in a room- sit down and actively focus on breathing in and out. This cues other members in the room to mirror your actions. While the other person might not relax as much, they may begin to calm down. 

Change the energy of the room: Ms. Ciampaglia recommends changing your physical position.  For example, Ms. Ciampaglia referenced an incident in court mediation when everyone was speaking loudly. She stood up slowly and rested her palms on the table. The focus of the group shifted, and she spoke in a calm voice- “Things are getting a little intense, do we need a water break? Let’s take five minutes.” This may help to lower the temperature in the room. 

Drink: No, we don’t mean that kind of drink. Ms. Ciampaglia recommends sipping some water or tea to help mitigate nerves. Just as actively breathing can lower cortisol levels, slowing down to sip some water or tea activates a different part of your nervous system. If you find yourself in a tense conversation, slowly sip some water. This allows you to stay present but also gives you time to process the situation.