Cutting through red tape to help students solve their problems is part of the job of NIU Ombudsman Bertrand Simpson.

“The university, like any good bureaucracy, is a very intricate institution and has its share of red tape to go through in dealing with problems,” Simpson said. “Part of what I do is working out the chain of command in problem-solving.

“Basically, the ombudsman is that individual in the university community who can assist a student or employee (of NIU) with a problem they have coming from their relationship to the university,” he said.

The ombudsman is faced with many different situations, ranging from academic to personal, Simpson said.

“We have dealt with problems people have had with the UPs (university police), the health service, the Student Association, every academic college and probably every department at NIU,” he said. “My office handles everything from grade appeals to more personal matters such as roommate disputes.”

Simpson said sometimes he is able to give students direct help, but more often serves as an adviser.

This assistance might involve outlining the problem-solving alternatives in a situation, or “helping students state their case and finding the best possible approach to take,” Simpson said. At times he also acts as a neutral arbitrator in a dispute, he said.

Simpson began his job at NIU in July, 1987. He said the last full-time ombudsman’s annual report showed his office served 219 men and 216 women. The report also indicated the ombudsman handled 30 anonymous call-ins and 120 referrals. “These numbers are fairly stable over time,” Simpson said.

“I have served more students than other university community members, simply because there are more of them (students),” he said.

Simpson said he has noticed a higher number of minorities coming to his office for help, but he does not think this surge is necessarily due to the recent wave of racism on campus. He said, “I have the impression that I’m seeing more minorities simply because I’m a minority.”

Simpson received his bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and his juris doctorate from the University of Wisconsin. He said he is a candidate for a master’s degree in political science at NIU.

“What makes me suitable for this job is my prior involvement with universities. Universities are remarkably interchangeable in their business, and I think I have a good knowledge of how they work,” Simpson said.