Teri Elkins Longacre
Ombudsperson, Office of Ombuds Services
Associate Professor of Management

For alumna Teri Elkins Longacre (Ph.D. ’95, J.D. ’97), the best part of her new role as ombudsperson can be summed up in one word: empowerment.

“What I enjoy most about being ombudsperson is helping faculty and staff become empowered problem-solvers,” she says.

UH created the position last September to promote fairness and to foster a positive work environment for faculty and staff. The ombudsperson acts as a neutral third party to provide employees with an informal mechanism for addressing workplace conflicts and concerns.

“Like a growing number of companies and educational institutions, the University of Houston has taken a proactive approach to identifying and resolving employment-related concerns,” says Longacre, associate professor of management. “As a supplement to other organizational resources, an ombudsperson can be a valuable asset by serving as an early warning system and helping to effect positive change.”

As ombudsperson, Longacre facilitates communication, identifies issues, outlines available options and mediates conflict. She says she relishes her role as the first UH ombudsperson.

“I like providing my visitors the opportunity to identify their issues and pursue options that best suit their needs and objectives,” she adds.