Sinclair’s new ombudsman, Amy Hartman, uses the term advocate to describe her role and serves as a point person for students, staff and faculty on campus.
“The position has existed for a while, but I have only been in this position for a couple of weeks and I’m loving it,” Hartman said. “Student Affairs is an incredible division with excellent management, and I really want students to know that we are here for them.”
Hartman said it’s important for students know that she is here to support them and give them direction. She said she wants them to feel comfortable to seek the help that they need.
“It’s very important because often times students who have not been able to find resolution anywhere else can find resolution here. I can provide a quicker route to the resolution of a problem because I’m that point person. I have direct contact with important people around the institution,” Hartman said.
The role of the ombudsman serves as a point person not only when students have an issue that hasn’t been solved, but also if a student is having problems with his or her personal life or academic issues, such as problems with a professor, grades or financial aid.
“Maybe I need to walk a student through a policy or procedure, or maybe a student is having a hard time in his or her own life,” Hartman said. “The way I fulfill my role can vary from day to day.”
However, Hartman said that her role is not considered a counselor, because there is a separate counseling department, but she can steer students in the right direction to get the services they need.
“I meet with a lot of people around the college to figure out how I can support them—I’m working with students in various capacities,” she said.
Not only does Hartman consider herself a student advocate, she is also a “Title IX” educator.
“It’s basically the prevention of sexual misconduct,” Hartman said. “If students aren’t aware of Title IX, they need to be.”
“Title IX” is part of the United States Education Amendment of 1972 and is a federal law that prohibits any discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program, according to justice.gov.
“My goal is to make our student body aware of who I am and what role I serve, but also that the Title IX educator role is part of my job,” Hartman said.
Previous to being the ombudsman, Hartman was an academic coach, as well as a teacher for all ages, from elementary to senior citizens. She said she plans to continue to collaborate with community partners because it helps her find methods to help the student population.
“I’ve served in other roles where I’ve utilized skill sets that I was able to transfer into this job,” she said.
According to Hartman, this role has a lot of fun aspects, but her favorite part is the ability to collaborate with everyone for the sole purpose of student and faculty success.
“I address every situation that comes through, whether it’s something that I can help them with directly or not. Students can be reassured that regardless of the circumstance it will be addressed,” she said.
A support system is one of the most important things for a student, according to Hartman.
“I tell students to find an advocate—everyone needs a support system. Some of us have them naturally and others have to build them based on what our life circumstances are. I also tell students to find ways to cope and navigate around obstacles,” she said.
It’s also important to look for ways to be involved, according to Hartman. She said that could range from clubs or community work, or simply just connecting with people in your classrooms or neighborhood. She said the more we give and help other people, the more we get back—connection is important.
“When I got to Sinclair I had to build a network of people and in life we typically get where we are because of who we know and who knows us, so that network and that support system are absolutely invaluable,” Hartman said. “When we work together, we get the best work done.”
If students have any questions, personal or academic issues, they can email ombuds@sinclair.edu or go to sinclair.edu and fill out the ombudsman request form online.
“I’m always looking for ways to find methods to best help our student population—that’s my goal,” Hartman said. “Students can remember they have a ‘bud’ in the ombudsman.”
Gabrielle Sharp
Executive Editor