Office of the University Ombuds

Office of the Ombuds
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5295 USA
(269) 387-0718

History

Timeline of the Office of the University Ombuds

  • "Western Michigan University's Office of the Ombudsman", one of the first offices of its kind in higher education the nation, is opened in 1970, located in room 218 of the Bernhard Center.
  • WMU President James W. Miller appoints Milton J. Brawer, faculty in Sociology, to become WMU's first Ombudsman on August, 2, 1970.
  • Brawer's "Notes of a Novice Ombudsman" was published by The Journal of Higher Education in 1973, describing his day-to-day work as "part detective, personal advisor, listener, red-tape cutter, and expediter".
  • Phillip Kramer, faculty in Sociology, becomes Ombudsman in 1974.
  • Bryna Graff joins the office as the inaugural "Associate Ombudsman" in 1975.
  • Gregory W. Boothroyd, faculty in Counseling Services, appointed University Ombudsman on July 1, 1980.
  • Beverly A. Belson, faculty in Counselor Education, namesake of the Beverly Belson Music Theatre Performance Scholarship and first woman lead Ombudsman is appointed in 1986.
  • Thomas C. Bailey, faculty in English and Environmental Studies, begins his first of two appointments as University Ombudsman in 1994.
  • David A. Glenn is appointed University Ombudsman in 1999.  David would go on to become Vice President for Institutional Equity for WMU.
  • Thomas Gossman, faculty in Finance and Commercial Law, appointed Ombudsman May 1, 2001.
  • Dona G. Icabone, faculty in Educational Studies, appointed Ombudsman September 2, 2003.
  • After Dona's retirement from WMU in 2006, position is vacant until 2007.
  • Thomas C. Bailey is appointed University Ombudsman for a second term by President Haenicke on January 7, 2007.
  • The position of University Ombudsman is evolved from a faculty appointment to a full-time staff position at WMU in 2008.  
  • Kathy Mitchell is hired as WMU's first full-time staff Ombudsman and begins July 1, 2008.
  • In July of 2009 the Office of the University Ombudsman is moved to a temporary location in Sangren Hall in anticipation of its permanent move out of the Bernhard Center.
  • The Office of the Ombudsman opens its new location in its current home in office 2420 of the Faunce Student Services Building in September of 2010.
  • From March 2020 until July 2021 the Office of the Ombudsman operates solely as a virtual location during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • In July 2020 the office officially changes its name from "Ombudsman" to "Ombuds".
  • Upon the retirement of Kathy Mitchell in April 2023, Eric McConnell, Associate Ombuds since April 2020, is appointed University Ombuds by President Montgomery on May 3, 2023.