Policies & Procedures Manual and Operations Handbooks: Section 20
Updated November 2025
SECTION 20 OMBUDSPERSON
20.1 OMBUDSPERSON
The ombudsperson is a standing post. A volunteer is selected by the Board of Governors each year to fill the position. The ombudsperson reports to the Executive Committee, but is not a member of the Executive Committee. The ombudsperson has direct access to the Board of Governors with respect to any unusual or otherwise important complaints that are not readily rectified, except for those portions of IEEE Computer Society operations where procedures for appeal already exist.
20.2 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
20.2.1 The ombudsperson shall be a point of contact for reporting a dispute or complaint related to Society activities or volunteers. The ombudsperson will investigate, provide direction to the appropriate IEEE Computer Society or IEEE resources if necessary, or otherwise help settle these disputes at an appropriate level within the Society.
20.2.2 A brief notice, giving the email address and purpose of the ombudsperson, as a service to members, is published in each issue of Computer and posted on the Society’s website. Requests sent to IEEE Computer Society email aliases that concern disputes or unresolved complaints shall be forwarded by staff to the ombudsperson.
20.2.3 Members are invited to write directly to the ombudsperson if they have reason to believe their original complaint has not received the attention it deserves. The ombudsperson is responsible for:
a. immediately acknowledging receipt of the complaint
b. investigating the nature of the complaint and identifying whatever action is necessary to rectify the problem
c. responding to the member with details of the actions taken and inviting them to correspond further if either this action does not solve the problem or if they remain dissatisfied.
20.2.4 The ombudsperson shall provide a year-end annual report to the Executive Committee for information.
