The Office of Ombuds
Students, residents or faculty interested in speaking to Dr. Howard about a concern should send an e-mail to BSOMOmbudsOffice@ecu.edu or call him at 252-328-5305.
The role of the Ombudsperson is to provide students, residents, and faculty the opportunity to talk with an impartial faculty leader in a confidential fashion about interpersonal difficulties that arise in the teaching-learning environment. The Ombudsperson will provide informal, confidential and impartial support and guidance for students, as well as assisting with the resolution of student mistreatment complaints and other concerns. This is accomplished primarily through listening and asking strategic questions and then offering options for resolution which may include coaching regarding how the student can manage the conflict or serving as a mediator between parties.
The Ombudsperson is not part of, and does not take part in, any administrative or formal complaint processes, and reports only to the Dean of the School of Medicine with annual, aggregated and deidentified reports regarding patterns of concern, or individual reports of egregious events that demand immediate attention.
Dr. John W. Howard III is the East Carolina University Organizational Ombuds and a Professor in the School of Communication. He completed his undergraduate education at State University of New York Binghamton and received a Master of Science in Policy Analysis from the University of Rochester. After earning a Master of Arts in Interpersonal Communication and a PhD in Communication Studies at Bowling Green State University, Dr. Howard arrived at East Carolina in 2003. His academic and professional backgrounds include conflict management, interpersonal communication, organizational communication, faculty governance, leadership, and policy. He is a member of the International Ombudsman Association.