In an effort to expand assistance to employees seeking to resolve workplace issues, Colorado State University has hired a new full-time ombuds.

Melissa Emerson, a conflict resolution practitioner who worked in CSU’s Division of Student Affairs for nearly 15 years, is the new university ombuds designated for administrative professionals and state classified personnel.

The Office of the Ombuds provides confidential workplace issue assistance to university faculty, administrative professionals, state classified personnel and other employees. Emerson joins Kathy Rickard, the faculty ombuds who also is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, in the office located in the General Services Building.

“We know that conflicts are part of every single workplace,” Emerson said. “When we can we can assist with conflict prevention, navigating challenging times and having those difficult conversations so employees have a better workplace, then that’s a win for the university as a whole.”

Emerson, who earned her graduate degree in conflict analysis and resolution, spent more than a decade helping lead CSU’s Student Resolution Center, where she expanded conflict resolution services and added three additional full-time staff members.

In her new role, she is looking forward to working with the campus community and letting them know about the services of the Office of the Ombuds.

Rickard, who has been faculty ombuds for several years and is a member of the International Ombudsman Association, said Emerson’s experience and skills are a valuable asset to the office.

“Her formal training in mediation from a variety of perspectives is going to be really useful,” Rickard said. “She’s managed an office. She’s grown an office. She has a vision. She is interested in making the ombuds office more visible, and I’m excited to have her as a colleague.”