The Triangle

Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Diana Stow

Without any power but the power of persuasion he gets his job done. Chances are students never know precisely what he does, and he'd like to keep it that way.

Richard Rosen, associate professor of history and politics, is the University's ombudsman, Drexel's "goalie in a hockey game," the last line of defense. "I keep the puck in play," he said.

Rosen seeks to resolve problems that were not resolved through the normal chain of command. For example, an employee with a grievance over his annual evaluation, a common complaint that Rosen handles, will first talk to his boss followed by the boss' boss further up the chain of command. If that does not produce a satisfactory result, then the employee can talk to Rosen.

"I'm the guy that you come to when you've got a problem you can't solve in any other way," he said. "It doesn't mean that I can solve it, but it means that I can probably tell you how to solve it. I'm sort of the last resort for someone who has a problem with the University."

Without the power to give orders or set policy, Rosen uses mediation to achieve compromises.

"I have no power; I just talk," he said. This is a point he strongly emphasized to The Triangle.

"The Ombudsman fills an important role at the University by assisting students, faculty and staff seeking informal dispute resolution that does not fall under any other dispute resolution processes," University President Constantine Papadakis said. "The Ombudsman is an independent, impartial resource for listening to complaints, investigating facts and offering advice and possible solutions. He or she does not make decisions or set policy, but offers suggestions and recommendations." The University President appoints the Ombudsman.

Direct Access

Although he has no power over administration officials, Rosen has full access to University personnel and documents while mediating between parties, and he reports directly to the University president as stated in the Student Handbook.

"By rule, anyone that I would like to talk to is supposed to talk to me," he said.

"I function pretty much with everyone in the University, both the downtown campus and here," he added.

Behind closed doors

Throughout his work as ombudsman, confidentiality is key.

"Everything is going to be held in confidence. Everything is confidential," he said.

To this end, Rosen said, "I try to write down as little as possible, and I don't like to keep any records." He added that the "minimal files" he keeps are destroyed after some time.

Rather than allow grievances to grow into public problems, Rosen said, "My job is to keep it inside."

"We want to solve our own problems," he said. "These are problems that are our problems; these are Drexel problems."

In addition to his office in the History and Politics Department, Rosen has an office on the second floor of the W.W. Hagerty Library where complainants can discreetly meet with him. Rosen is flexible with appointment times, sometimes staying late to meet with people after their shifts end.

Fairness

The om-budsman's purpose, he said, is fairness. The Student Handbook likewise says that the ombudsman "is not any group or person's advocate or representative, but impartially seeks to assist any member of the University community who believes an informal dispute resolution process might be helpful."

"My goal is to make the internal environment as good as possible, as even-handed as possible," Rosen said.

His job, he said, is "sort of a way to kind of ensure, I guess that, as best we can, we give everybody an even shot, an even break."

Rosen's position includes acting as a pressure valve for unhappy members of the University community.

"Sometimes, people get so upset everything gets blown out of proportion," he said.



Time spent on the job

Working as the ombudsman can be time-consuming, requiring hours spent talking with complainants and administrators, or it can be quiet for periods at a time.

"My predecessor said sometimes it's a 40 minute a week job, and sometimes it's a 40 hour a week job," Rosen said. "And that's what it is."

"Twenty hours a week is not uncommon," he said.

The ebb and flow of work seem correlated with two events. In late August and September, new students and their parents contact Rosen with their concerns, such as financial aid. In late December and January, University employees come to Rosen to talk about their annual evaluations, which determine promotions and raises. Summer, not surprisingly, is a slower time.

To deal with his busier times, Rosen said he plans his teaching a week in advance. In addition, he is afforded a one-course reduction.

In addition to a reduction in his course load, "There is a stipend," he said. "It isn't out of the goodness of my heart necessarily."

He is quick to add, though, "I find it to be a real interesting job."

Experience

Rosen is more than a conciliatory history professor. He holds a certificate in mediation, and he has decades of experience working with the University community.

He was an undergraduate student at the University in both the evening and day programs when it was referred to as Drexel Institute of Arts and Sciences. During this time, he was a member of student government and the student allocation committee, both under different names from their current incarnations.

After graduating in 1963 with a bachelor's in mechanical engineering, Rosen earned a Ph.D. in history of science from Case Western Reserve University. He then returned to the University in 1969 as a Professor.

Ali Houshmand, former Interim Provost and now Dean of the Goodwin College of Professional Studies, feels that Rosen's degree in engineering from the University helps him in his job.

"He really understands the issues that engineering students, especially tDEC, face. He understands and appreciates that," Houshmand said.

During his tenure at the University, Rosen has been associate dean for the College of Engineering and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He also served on the Faculty Senate, including a one-year stint as Secretary.

Houshmand feels that Rosen has a great deal of knowledge about the University as a result of his many years spent here.

"He's extremely knowledgeable about the issues at Drexel. He really knows the University. He's one of those very few faculty members slash administrators … that truly knows the pulse of this institution and knows the goods and the bads and the uglies and everything involved in the University. So as such, he's a great resource when you have issues."

Rosen kids that "All these buildings around here - I personally knew almost every one of the people that the buildings are named after," such as Creese, Myers and Hagerty.

All joking aside, he said he has an "intimate knowledge of this place after so many years."

Can't win 'em all

Despite his best efforts, Rosen said that he cannot always reach a satisfactory result. "Sometimes I can't do anything."

Speaking of the complainants who come to him, he said, "Sometimes they're exactly where they where yesterday, because I need compromise," and people need to give in order to achieve that.

Clearly, Rosen approaches his job realistically.

"There's some things you can't do anything about," he said.

As University goalie, he said, "Nobody gets a shut-out every time."

High praise

His colleagues, for his job performance, said that he does excellent work. When asked to comment on their experiences working with Rosen, several themes emerge: Rosen is experienced, respected and effective.

"Because he has been with Drexel a long time and has held many positions, Dr. Rosen enjoys the respect of everyone, and is seen as a totally straight shooter," said Carl Oxholm III, senior vice president for the Drexel Law Center and general counsel for the University.

"In my experiences with Ombudsman Dick Rosen I am pleased to say that it is always a positive experience working with him," said George Tsetsekos, Dean for the LeBow College of Business. "I admire his ability to diffuse a situation, his professionalism, unbiased approach and dedication to his role. He has truly earned the respect of my colleagues for the outstanding service he provides."

"Rich Rosen is a great colleague in promoting fairness and equity in our work and study environment," said Phyllis Lewis, senior associate vice president of Human Resources. "He explores every possible avenue and collaborates with others to find solutions to important problems."

"As a person, he's a gentleman. He really is the most wonderful person you can work with. He's a pleasure to work with. He is courteous. He's polite. He's professional, and he listens to you, so I felt very easy working with him and knowing him," Houshmand said. "As I said, being the wonderful gentleman that he is, he cares, of course, for all the University community, especially for students. So when issues arise that require the Ombudsman's attention, he takes it very seriously, and he follows through very, very seriously."

"Due to the nature of the position, an Ombudsman needs to be trustworthy with high moral and ethical values. Our current Ombudsman, Dr. Richard Rosen, has been a respected member of the Drexel faculty for many years. He has admirably discharged his responsibilities as University Ombudsman since January 1998 when I first started working with him," Papadakis said.

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