Whitney Barrett, UW’s new Ombudsperson, has opened her office on the third floor of SLC. The office is currently open to students from all faculties as well as from Waterloo’s affiliates and federations.

Barrett has held the positions of Acting Ombudsperson and Associate Ombudsperson at Western University since 2020. Barrett has positions in Alumni Relations and six years of experience as the graduate program officer in Western’s Faculty of Engineering prior to getting involved with Ombuds’ work. 

Students can get help and advice about their complaints and concerns about university, procedures and decision-making structures from the Ombuds Office. The office offers unbiased and private services and is funded by the University and student fees that are approved through the Student Services Advisory Committee. 

According to Barrett, an Ombudsperson advocates for fairness and provides a confidential space where students can share their concerns. “Students can talk to someone who’s not tied to any other resources and can guide them through the institution. With advocating for fairness, I do have an eye on policy procedures to ensure that they are being enacted in a fair and equitable way for students.” 

Barrett’s day-to-day schedule includes familiarizing herself with the institution and handling any concerns that come through the office. She mentioned how students are welcome to reach out to her by email and stop by her office. 

When asked about how she landed the role of an Ombudsperson for UW, Barrett said, “ I have worked in academia for over 17 years. In my previous role at another institution, I would work a lot with student services and gained a love for working with students. Ombuds work came into my world at my last insulation where I worked at the Ombuds office. That is what sparked my interest to work here at UW.” 

Barrett also mentioned that she is still adjusting to her new role and familiarizing herself with UW. She said, “I have been welcomed by everyone I have talked to, and there has been a lot of excitement. A big part of my work is when I am working with students, and they bring forth bigger issues with fairness. In these cases, I might talk to different stakeholders to find a remedy.” 

When asked about her jurisdiction and authority, she mentioned that there has been some confusion around what she can actually do. “There is confusion around whether I am a decision maker or not. As an Ombudsperson, I can’t make any decisions, like, for example, going to a Dean and say change everything. It’s more about the conversations and recommendations I bring in when it comes to fairness and equity.” Students wanting to book an appointment with Barrett can email her at uwombuds@uwaterloo.ca.