March 2025
AERA will continue its Ombuds Program as part of the 2025 Annual Meeting. The ombuds is a neutral, confidential, informal, and independent resource who is available to hear concerns and can assist with identifying options and resources to address conflicts or issues, including harassment, discrimination, or any violation of professional conduct as set forth in 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 participating in the Annual Meeting in Denver.
AERA is continuing its two-person, co-ombuds team model. This year the team includes two full-time professional ombuds—both with substantive background in expertise in higher education. Shannon Lynn Burton is the university ombudsperson at Michigan State University. Burton has served as AERA Annual Meeting co-ombuds since the program began in 2019. For the 2025 Annual Meeting, Burton is teaming with Kamaria B. Porter as co-ombuds. Porter is a long-time AERA Annual Meeting attendee and currently is associate ombuds at Northwestern University.
The ombuds will be available during the 2025 Annual Meeting for in-person, virtual, or phone appointments, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. MT, Wednesday, April 23, to Saturday, April 26, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. MT, Sunday, April 27. Meeting participants who wish 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 Rooms 602 and 604 on the Meeting Room Level in the Colorado Convention Center.
In addition to their availability onsite at the Annual Meeting, this year the ombuds team will be available by phone or email prior to the Annual Meeting, beginning April 1. As in past years, the ombuds can be contacted via email or phone through May 31, to discuss an issue that occurred during the conference.
As part of its ongoing commitment to providing resources for inclusive, respectful professional engagement, AERA is pleased to introduce for the 2025 Annual Meeting a workshop session facilitated by the ombuds team entitled “Navigating Difficult Conversations: Conflict Resolution Strategies for the AERA Community.” Co-sponsored by the AERA Ethics Committee, this interactive session will be open to all registered Annual Meeting participants.
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.