Ombudsman's Authority
The Ombudsman will deal with Complaints received from anyone allegedly offended by an act or omission relating to the functioning of the Institute, its employees, or anyone on its behalf, to give an individual response to the complainant, and as necessary to recommend systemic improvement.
A complaint will not be handled by the Ombudsman in the following cases:
- A complaint relating to a matter pending in court or under consideration by another authorized body, or on which such bodies have already ruled.
- The subject of the complaint is under investigation by the police or another investigating authority.
- A complaint regarding sexual harassment under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law, 1998. In this case, the Ombudsman will forward the complaint to the Commissioner for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Institute.
- A complaint relating to matters that are at the core of academic freedom and / or distinct academic issues and / or complaints by students at the Feinberg Graduate School, in the context of its academic function. The Ombudsman will instruct the complainant how to proceed.
- A complaint submitted without the complainant exhausting all regular options available to him to resolve the matter.
A complaint alleging violation of moral purity and integrity, or libel, or an alleged criminal act, will be dealt with by the Ombudsman until the allegations are examined. Should the Ombudsman's inquiry give rise to reasonable suspicion to any of the abovementioned situations, he will transfer the inquiry findings to the Vice President relevant to the subject of the complaint and to the Legal Office, and further proceedings will be coordinated with them.
The Ombudsman is subordinate to the Chair of the Executive Board.
Guidelines for submission and handling of a complaint
A complaint, oral or written, should be submitted directly to the Ombudsman by any method, including letter, email, or telephone and include all relevant information, including: the appellant's details (name, contact details), summary of the appeal, references and evidence, as well as any other information that may assist the inquiry. A complainant may appeal anonymously or request the secrecy / confidentiality of his appeal, but the response to such a request will be in accordance with the nature of the required inquiry and the discretion of the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman alone will determine immediately upon receipt of a complaint – the methods of handling it, including: should he inquire the complaint, or whether it should be transferred for the care of another body at the institute, or whether it should not be dealt with at all - all in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Feedback to the complainant
The Ombudsman shall inform the complainant in the same manner in which he addressed him, on the receipt of the complaint, on his decision regarding the continuation and the nature of its treatment, and will reply to him upon completion of the inquiry.
Reports
The Ombudsman shall provide the President and Vice President relevant to the complaint reports on complaints dealt by him. In addition, the Ombudsman shall provide the Chair of the Executive Board with an annual summary report regarding the complaints processed that year, with a copy of the report sent to the President and Vice President for Administration and Finance.
Contact Us - Ombudsman
Dr. Ami Shalit
On a telephone line designated for complaints: 08-9346264
Office: 08-9344056 | 08-9343998
Mobile: 054-2639155