Boston July 14-16 – ISKCON establishes an ombudsman program and agrees to the name ISKCON Resolve.

Sesa, Braja Bihari, and Jai Nitai Prabhus met in Boston to attend an ombudsman training program given by The Ombudsmen Association (TOA) and to plan ISKCON's emerging dispute resolution program now known as ISKCON Resolve.

Sesa is a practicing immigration attorney in Florida and has served as ISKCON's minister of justice. Braja Bihari is the coordinator of ISKCON's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs. Jai Nitai is a student at the University of Texas Law School, where his studies include ADR.

All three (along with others) will serve as ombudsmen for ISKCON. Also attending the training course were ombudsmen from Harvard, Stanford, and UCLA; ombudsmen from U.S. government agencies such as the Secret Service and the Housing and Urban Development; and corporate ombudsmen from Coca-Cola, Shell Oil, and Los Alamos.

Instructors included Mary Rowe of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ms. Rowe is a pioneer in U.S. ombudsman work and has been a great help to ISKCON’s efforts to establish an ombuds system. Ms. Rowe later met with Sesa, Braja Bihari, and Jai Nitai to discuss the TOA training program and its application in ISKCON.

In addition to two and a half days of training, the three devotees met with Arnold Zack, an adjunct Harvard Professor and longtime mediator and arbitrator in labor relations. Mr. Zack was in charge of the implementation of the ombudsman program for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is offering service as a consultant for ISKCON Resolve. Mr. Zack offered suggestions as to how ISKCON Resolve might further take shape, and the meetings included discussions about the ombudsman program.

Ombudsman is a Swedish term with origins in the 19th century. The term is gender neutral though today sometimes "ombuds" or "ombudsperson" is used to sound more inclusive. An ombudsman hears concerns of devotees (or employees) and helps them evaluate their situations, organize their thoughts, clarify their concerns, explore available options, and if requested, approach others (especially those in authority) to improve the situation.

There are four hallmarks of an ombudsman: 1) confidentiality, 2) neutrality, 3) independence, and 4) informality. The ombudsman network in ISKCON will utilize these principles to help devotees receive a fair resolution to concerns or conflicts that may arise.

Confidentiality: ISKCON Ombudsmen will handle all matters with utmost confidentiality. Only in the rare case where a threat to safety exists or a subpoena is issued will the confidentiality of a discussion with an ombudsman be compromised. Of course, if the person discussing a matter with an ombudsman gives permission, the ombudsman may take steps to help resolve the situation and reveal what he or she has been told, but only to the extent permitted by that devotee.

Neutrality and Independence: Ombuds seek a fair resolution of conflicts or concerns. They don’t take one side or the other. Ombuds do not represent ISKCON or any individual complainant.

Informality: The use of an ombudsman is voluntary for each side in a conflict. An ombuds may use mediation or shuttle diplomacy to help resolve the concern in a manner acceptable to the parties involved.

Sesa, Braja Bihari, and Jai Nitai also discussed the following:

—That the current website www.krishnamediates.com will be changed to www.iskconresolve.com and will be professionally maintained. It will present a basic understanding of the various processes available if devotees have a dispute, who the mediators and ombudsmen are and how to contact them, training dates for those interested in becoming mediators, feedback forms for those who have used a mediator or an ombudsman, and the training materials for current mediators to train others with. The new website should be up and running by mid-August.

—That ISKCON Resolve will articulate the current formal grievance process in ISKCON and work to augment it where necessary to make it complete. This may include the implementation of an arbitration system to resolve disputes.

—Plans to create and establish an ombudsman network as part of ISKCON Resolve.

—Plans to train additional mediators so there are mediators nearby in all of the ISKCON world.

—Plans to appoint and train additional ombudsmen.

© dipika.org August 6, 2003