Meet the Ombudspersons
Furthering its commitment to creating a positive learning environment, the University of Georgia recently named three ombudspersons to serve faculty, staff and students.
The ombudspersons are designated individuals who serve as independent, neutral and informal resources for UGA students, faculty and staff. Rather than serving as advocates for individual members of the university community, these individuals are advocates for fairness, and they function as a source of information and referral. They assist, to the extent possible, in informally resolving concerns brought to their attention. They serve as third-party fact finders who remain neutral while looking into complaints or grievances, including those related to discrimination and harassment.
Shay Davis Little
Shay Davis Little, director of administrative operations in University Housing, will serve as the ombudsperson for students. Little has more than 14 years of experience in student affairs (11 at UGA). In her role in University Housing, she manages the assignments process for students living in the twenty residence halls, summer conferences program, and the marketing and technology areas. She also is an adjunct faculty member in the College of Education, department of counseling and human development services, teaching graduate students in the college student affairs administration program. Little currently serves as the secretary for the Southeastern Association of Housing Officers and was a participant at the National Housing Training Institute.
Telephone: 706-542-1421, press "0" ; Email: jsdavis@uga.edu
Cathy Jones
Cathy Jones, a professor of French and Provençal at the University of Georgia, will serve as the ombudsperson for faculty. Jones, a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor and graduate coordinator for the department of romance languages in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, joined the UGA romance languagesdepartment in 1987 and has served as graduate coordinator since 2008. Her research interests include French medieval epic, romance and allegory. She is the author of "The Noble Merchant: Problems of Genre and Lineage in Hervis de Mes" and "Philippe de Vigneulles and the Art of Prose Translation." Her other publications include articles on the chanson de geste, René d'Anjou, Richars li biaus, 19th and 20th century medievalism and orientalism. Her other awards include the Lothar Tresp Outstanding Honors Professor Award, the General Sandy Beaver Teaching Professorship, the Richard B. Russell Teaching Award and a Lilly Teaching Fellowship.
Telephone: 706-542-3159 ; Email: cmjones@uga.edu
Kathryn M. Chetney
Kathryn M. Chetney, senior employee relations counselor of the University Human Resources Office of Faculty and Staff Relations, will serve as the ombudsperson for staff members. In her employee relations role, she provides counsel to employees regarding the university's progressive discipline process, Family and Medical Leave Act, HR policies and procedures and Dispute Resolution Process. Chetney joined the university in 2004. She is certified by the Society of Human Resource Management's HRCI as a Professional in Human Resources, completed the Mediating Campus Disputes program at CNCR's Summer Institute on Conflict Resolution in Higher Education, and has 20 years experience as an HR generalist. Chetney has been active in several professional and civic organizations, and also volunteers as a facilitator for the university's Academic Honesty program. She helps University Human Resources conduct workplace investigations, as well as provide training in performance management, FLSA, FMLA and other HR initiatives across campus.
Telephone: 706-542-2167; Email: kchetney@uga.edu
Ombudspersons supplement, but do not replace, the university's existing policies and procedures for processing and resolving student, faculty, and staff complaints and grievances. Ombudspersons also do not have direct responsibility for specific administrative processes and procedures. Rather, these individuals provide information and assistance regarding administrative processes and may serve as additional avenues for resolving the concerns of students, faculty and staff.