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Students Have an Address for
Complaints: Professor Schatzker, Their Ombudsman
 Professor Chaim
Schatzker walks into the room for the interview nattily dressed,
suit and tie, a good fit, and not at all stiff. It is a very
un-post-modern look for the occasion, but it makes a statement. It
demonstrates his respect for the institution and, especially, for
its students.
The 76-year-old professor emeritus of history shows his concern for
students in still another, more active manner: he is their
ombudsman. Their complaints representative, to translate the term
from the Hebrew. He considers it a position of honor.
“I enjoyed every day,” he says of his teaching career at the
University, which began before there was a Mount Carmel campus. “So
if I can give something in return, I will do so willingly.”
That “something” is acting upon 20-30 complaints a year that reach
his office after filtering through the Dean of Students Office. Most
grievances have to do with academic matters—“but I do not interfere
in grades,” he makes it clear—and a minority with tuition and other
administrative matters.
“A kind of contract exists between the University and the student,”
he says, half figuratively and half alluding to the ISO convention
in regard to student services that the University administration has
uniquely issued. “If something goes awry, if the contract is not
filled, then the student has an address where to turn.
“I relate equally to all student matters. It could have to do with a
classroom matter, such as not stating the course requirements in the
first class meeting as each lecturer is required to do, or a
student’s feeling insulted or humiliated in class, or a professor’s
making unfair or unequal demands. Or it could have to do with a
parking space or the clarification of an item.”
When the complaint reaches his office, Schatzker first checks it
out, then invites the complainant for a talk. He does not want any
student to feel deprived. “Students should feel that someone is
listening to them,” he says. “This is not an obtuse University.”
If he finds the student’s complaint legitimate, he writes to the
department chairperson, who must according to University regulations
provide a response. If the answer is evasive, he will go to the
academic officer. If there is no satisfaction, he will write his
verdict and submit it either to the rector or directly to the
president. “The lecturers have learned they can’t fool around with
me,” he comments.
The ombudsman’s ability to act freely, not subject to any unit head,
and also to appeal right to the University rector or president is
the element that gives the office some teeth. “The students are very
thankful,” Schatzker remarks, “even when I can’t help. For they see
that the matter is being handled.” He says, almost as an aside, that
the Student Union has praised him, quickly adding that he has no
direct connection with the students’ organization. Nor does he
publicize his successful mediations.
He rarely hurries to hand in a verdict, since his aim is obtain
mutual understanding. If he detects a serious clash of personalities
between teacher and student, he may try, for example, to persuade
the student to have someone else administer the test.
Exam time brings with it the biggest rush of complaints. Two exams
may be scheduled on the same day or a lecturer does not allow a
student doing army reserve duty to take advantage of exam period B
or the exam may contain material not covered in class.
Although this ombudsman was once instrumental in ousting a lecturer
whose behavior he described as “an absolute monarch,” he reiterates
that he is not an advocate of the students. “I only a priori listen
to them.” He also notes that he doesn’t have the tools to
investigate a student’s character, nor does he wish to. Even with
his freedom of action, he also doesn’t do what might be termed
“class action” complaints. For that, some departments and Faculties
have their own grievance committees.
Schatzker, who continues to research and publish—he just finished an
article on “skinheads” and has embarked on a new project researching
how German school textbooks deals with present-day
anti-Semitism—explains that the office of University ombudsman
always goes to a retiree—“What can they do to me?”—and has never
gone to someone from the Law Faculty. He also feels it shouldn’t. He
stresses, though, that “my judgments are according to the
University’s constitution and regulations.”
Four years on the job of listening to and acting on students’
complaints has not in the least lessened Chaim Shatzker’s declared
attachment to the institution that in 2002 awarded him its
“University Award of Merit.”
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In
This Issue:
President’s Focus - Battling Unjust
Resolutions
Prof. Azy Barak’s SAHAR Offers a Vital
Virtual Shoulder to Those with Nowhere Else to Turn
University Joins War on Drugs,
Campaign Is Integral to Interdisciplinary Clinical Center’s Service
Kidma Project Helps Students Face Their Identities
University Will Not Be Silent in Face of UK
Boycott
Anat Liberman Is New External Relations
Head
Prof. Majid Al-Haj to Be New Dean of Research
Prof. Sophia Menache – New Dean of
Graduate Studies
Prof. Menachem Mor—Dean of Humanities
Virtual Open House Proves a Big Hit
Students Have an Address for Complaints:
Professor Schatzker, Their Ombudsman
Computer Science and Occupational Therapy
Team Up for Virtual Reality Conference
Student Develops Innovative Technology to Deal with Post-Traumatic
Stress
Giora Lehavi: His Job Is to Check on
Quality Management, and Other Standards
University’s Sports Teams Prove a Winner in
More Ways than One
Student Publishes His Road to Wisdom
Honors and Awards
Mother and Son—in utero—Studied Hebrew at University’s Summer Ulpan
University’s China Connection Continues
Unique Algorithm Enables Better Mobile
Wireless Communication
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