The Academic Ombudsman office assists students and staff in working through and resolving academic-related questions, problems and conflicts.
The Academic Ombudsman is a neutral party working to ensure that fairness and equity are upheld in decision-making processes. We accomplish this by listening to questions, complaints, problems and conflicts and by aiding in mediating resolutions and solutions.
About the Academic Ombudsman
Dr. Robert Griffith
Interim Academic Ombudsman
Office: ICE-243
Phone: 417-447-8922
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Griffith serves as President of the OTC Table Rock Campus. In this role, he is responsible for all academic affairs, student affairs and campus operations.
Dr. Griffith’s tenure at OTC began 13 years ago when he was hired as a coordinator of the college’s extension center in Branson, Missouri. As the outpost expanded into a full-service campus, Dr. Griffith’s roles and responsibilities grew with it. Most recently, Dr. Griffith served as Dean of Academic and Student Affairs for the Table Rock Campus. As dean, he oversaw the academic and operational aspects of the campus and coordinated all aspects of the student experience, including recruitment, retention, academic advising and student discipline.
In addition to his administrative work, Dr. Griffith taught as an adjunct English and communications instructor at OTC, Missouri State University and the University of Arkansas.
Dr. Griffith earned a Doctor of Philosophy in English from the University of Arkansas. He also earned a Master of Arts in English from Missouri State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising from Ouachita Baptist University.
He is also an active community leader, serving in a variety of capacities including the Branson/Hollister Rotary Board, the Taney County Health Department Board and Taney County Partnership for Economic Development Board.
Essential Characteristics of the Ombudsman Office
The Office of the Ombudsman staff will conduct all conversations and any related information in a highly confidential manner. The ombudsman staff will not disclose the identity of visitors or the specifics of any conversations. We will not give information out without the permission of the visitor. Rare exceptions may occur to this rule. These would include:
- Witnessing of a crime. Or, within the communication the staff member has substantial reason to believe that a violation of a criminal act has occurred or is likely to occur.
- Seeing violation of OTC’s sexual harassment policy.
- A situation is exposed that poses risk of serious harm to an individual or individuals.
Our team will make all efforts within these circumstances to only disclose necessary information to counteract such issues and maintain the highest level of confidentiality possible.
The ombudsman staff may disclose information only with permission of the visitor and within a very limited manner to only those required to have such information as determined by the visitor. OTC will maintain confidentiality to the highest degree within the Office of the Ombudsman at all times.
The ombudsman staff do not serve as advocates for any particular person (student, faculty, or staff). Moreover, they do not advocate for any office of the college. The ombudsman staff do advocate for fair processes and consistent implementation of such policies and procedures.
Our staff have no personal interest and incur no personal loss or gain from the determination of issues brought forth to the office.
The ombudsman staff are a neutral party that aids in bringing continuity, mutual agreement and closure to issues at the college.
The Academic Ombudsman reports to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs but maintains a separation within the office for issues brought through the Office of the Ombudsman. The ombudsman does not make decisions or determine guilt or innocence related to issues or concerns, or change/set aside policies or administrative decisions.
The Office of the Ombudsman is not an official reporting entity of the institution. It serves as an informal and/or supplementary process outside of the college’s formal reporting processes. The ombudsman can aide in making visitors aware of formal processes within the institution. After which, they can refer visitors to those policies and procedures. All determinations must be made by the visitor as to next steps to be taken.
Contact Academic Ombudsman
Springfield Campus
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Visit Us
Information Commons East (ICE), 243 -
Call Us
4174478922 -
Email Us
[email protected]