After more than 15 years at the university, long time Ombudsperson Cynthia Joyce has announced she will retire March 11, 2022. Joyce, a champion of respectful and civil discourse, spent her career training others and serving as a resource for units and departments across campus. University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson says Joyce’s tenure will have a lasting impact.

"I am grateful to Cynthia Joyce for her nearly 17 years as the University Ombudsperson," says President Barbara Wilson. "Her leadership in this crucial role has been vital to ensuring our faculty, staff and students have a safe, neutral and empathic space to go for advice and problem solving."

Joyce, who joined the University of Iowa in 2005, has been the longest-serving University Ombudsperson.  During her time with the University, she has built on the strong reputation of the Ombuds Office to greatly increase the number of visitors, expand office staffing, initiate an extensive training role for the office, and collaborate with partners on campus on a variety of initiatives.

“Working in the University of Iowa Ombuds Office has been my dream job,” says Joyce. “It has been an honor to be trusted to help students, staff and faculty with a wide variety of problems and conflicts.”

Wilson has named Assistant Vice President for Employee Relations and Inclusion in University Human Resources Jan Waterhouse chair of a national search committee tasked with finding the next university ombudsperson.

Waterhouse joined the UI in August 1999 as a compliance officer in the Office of Equal Opportunity & Diversity (now known as Office of Institutional Equity) where she served until 2007. She has served as assistant dean in the College of Nursing (2007-2009); budget officer and senior director of human resources in the College of Engineering (2010-2019); and senior director of HR policy and administration in University Human Resources (2019-2021). She also holds a joint appointment with the Office of the Provost focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in faculty recruitment.

“The Ombuds Office is a critical partner in helping to address individual concerns as well as campus trends. I’ve often collaborated with the office over the course of my career in human resources, and I’m pleased to serve the university by helping to identify the next person to lead the office,” says Waterhouse.

The 12 faculty and staff members who will join Waterhouse on the search committee are:

• Sharon Beck, senior director of human resources
• Laura McLeran, senior advisor to the president and associate vice president for administrative affairs
• Jennifer Modestou, director of equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and compliance in the Office of Institutional Equity
• Susan Johnson, professor emeritus and former faculty ombudsperson
• Hattie Frana, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Graduate and Professional Student Government
• Jack Lauer, vice president of Undergraduate Student Government
• Dawn Anderson, professor of legal analysis, writing, and research, College of Law, and Faculty Senate representative
• Kevin Zihlman, president, Staff Council
• Angela Ibrahim-Olin, assistant dean and director of the Office of Student Accountability
• Barry Schreier, director, University Counseling Service
• Lisa Brewster, UI Health Care director of employee and labor relations
• Thomas Vaughn, associate professor, Health Management and Policy Department, College of Public Health

The university ombudsperson is tasked with offering confidential, neutral, informal, and independent resolution services to ensure all members of the university community receive fair and equitable treatment. The position is a full-time appointment and reports directly to the president.