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Task description
The role of the Ombuds Office is to provide a neutral point of contact within the submission and review process of the DHd conferences. All participants—submitters and reviewers—can reach out to the Ombuds Office with their questions, concerns, and complaints. This is especially relevant in cases where individuals feel they have been unfairly or improperly judged and/or inappropriately treated, and a resolution with the Program Committee could not be achieved. The Ombuds Office can then be called upon as a neutral arbitration body.
The Ombuds Office reviews these concerns and responds appropriately, for example, by moderating the communication process between submitters and reviewers or by communicating with the chairs of the Program Committee and/or providing a recommendation on the further course of action (e.g., obtaining an additional review).
The Ombuds Office handles all concerns confidentially and informs those who contact it about the next steps in the mediation process. If the Ombuds Office deems it necessary to involve additional parties in the process, this will first be coordinated with those who contacted the office. The Ombuds Office can make recommendations to the Program Committee regarding the further course of action; however, the decision to disregard reviews, obtain additional reviews, or accept or reject a contribution remains with the Program Committee.
Appointment of Ombudspersons
The Ombuds Office consists of three members who undertake this role on a voluntary basis for the review period of a conference, upon invitation by the DHd Association's board. One person may serve as an Ombudsperson more than once. The members of the Ombuds Office are announced no later than the start of the response phase.
Availability
The Ombuds Office can be reached via the email address accessible only to the Ombudspersons: ombuds@dig-hum.de.
Ombudspersons DHd2025
Elisabeth Burr, Jürgen Hermes, Mareike König
Ombudspersons of past conferences
DHd2024: Lina Franken, Mareike König, Jan Christoph Meister
DHd2023: Claudine Moulin, Nils Reiter, Joachim Veit