After months of reviewing applications and conducting interviews, an Ohio University committee found a new person to field student and faculty complaints.
Dianne Bouvier, currently the assistant director of Institutional Equity, was named the ombudsman yesterday and will begin March 1. Bouvier replaces Merle Graybill, who has been the ombudsman since 2008.
The ombudsman reports to the provost and is responsible for facilitating communication and solving disputes between university constituent groups, promoting fairness and working to increase retention of students and faculty.
Bouvier, who has worked at OU since 1990, was assistant ombudsman from 1995 to 2002. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from OU and a Master of Arts degree from Fitchburg State College.
John Calhoun, a student senator and one of two students who served on the selection committee, said the committee began evaluating applications early in the fall of 2009.
(The committee was) representative of different constituent groups
Calhoun said. We received over a dozen applications ... I spent a lot of time thinking about the candidates because we had a lot of good applicants.
The committee interviewed applicants and sent a list to Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit, who made the final decision.
Ohio University has been fortunate in having a number of talented individuals who have filled the role of ombudsman Benoit said in a statement. I'm confident that Dianne will continue that legacy. She knows that university well is a good listener and skilled problem solver.
David Descutner, dean of the University College and associate provost for Undergraduate Studies, also supervises the ombudsman and was happy with the work of the selection committee - praising the work of the committee's student members.
The students were active
influential members (of the selection committee)
Descutner said. They took this seriously
both of them.
1
News
Pamela Engel
