Student Ombudsperson

🇺🇸 Kent, Ohio 🕑 Full-Time 💰 $86K - $103K 💻 Administrator 🗓️ October 24th, 2026

Higher Ed FERPA Outreach

Edtech.com's Summary

Kent State University is hiring a Student Ombudsperson to help current, former, and prospective students resolve university-related concerns, complaints, and grievances. The ombudsperson interprets university policies and procedures, mediates impartially and confidentially between students, and advises faculty, staff, and senior administrators on difficult student-related conflicts. The role promotes the Office of the Student Ombuds through presentations and outreach and reports to the Senior Vice President for Student Life.

Highlights

Help current, former, and prospective students resolve concerns, complaints, and grievances by interpreting university policies and procedures and using informal and formal resolution strategies.
Facilitate impartial, confidential mediation and conflict resolution between enrolled students, helping participants identify concerns, clarify interests, and reach mutually acceptable resolutions.
Serve as a mediation resource and consultant to faculty, staff, and administrators working through challenging student conflicts, recommending resolution strategies and coordinating mediation when appropriate.
Apply judgment across the policy areas that affect students, including student conduct, academic progress, due process, grade grievances, financial aid, campus safety, registration, Bursar accounts, and catalog interpretation.
Advise academic and administrative leaders at all levels, from the President and Provost to deans, department chairs, and faculty, and serve on the Care Team for students of concern and other university committees.
Market the Office of the Student Ombuds through presentations and outreach programs, and track usage and complaint outcomes for assessment.
Keep current on changes to university policies and procedures and recommend revisions when appropriate.
Master’s degree in higher education or a relevant field plus seven years of higher education experience; a terminal degree is preferred.
Knowledge of FERPA, university organizational structure and academic governance, and conflict resolution and mediation techniques, with the ability to maintain confidentiality and impartiality and to handle sensitive information.
Salary range of $86,249 to $103,148, with a Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM schedule or as otherwise discussed with leadership.