March 2024

AERA will continue its Ombuds Program as part of the 2024 Annual Meeting. The ombuds is a neutral, confidential, informal, and independent resource made available to address persons’ concerns and assist them by identifying options and resources to address conflicts or issues, including harassment, discrimination, or any violation of professional conduct as set forth in Sections 6–8 of the AERA Code of Ethics and in the AERA Policy on Inclusive and Welcoming Meeting Environments. The Ombuds Program is an important part of AERA’s commitment to provide a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment.

AERA’s ombuds resource is available to all attendees, staff, exhibitors, vendors, and any others at the Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 11–14.

AERA is pleased to continue its collaboration with Shannon Lynn Burton, Ph.D., and Carol Mershon, Ph.D., who will have served as the co-ombuds for the Annual Meeting since the program began in 2019. Burton is a university ombudsperson at Michigan State University, and Mershon is a professor in the Department of Politics at the University of Virginia.

The ombuds will be available during the 2024 Annual Meeting for in-person, virtual, or phone appointments, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Thursday, April 11, through Sunday, April 14. Those wishing to schedule an appointment can email aeraombuds@gmail.com or call (202) 505-3356. The ombuds will also be available for walk-ins in their office in the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown in Conference Suite III.

The ombuds can be contacted via email or phone through May 31, 2024, to discuss an issue that occurred during the conference.

The AERA ombuds adhere to the International Ombuds Association’s Standards of Practice. They are a resource provided by AERA for meeting participants but are independent of AERA’s formal reporting structure, and attendees’ communications with the ombuds are confidential.