Although student life for most people is a wonderful time, it can present small and big challenges.
The student ombudsperson is an independent consultant for students at UiS. Her role is to offer guidance, support and advice to students, as well as ensure their cases are handled responsibly and correctly by the university.
Maren Anne Kvaløy is the students' ombudsperson at UiS
Being a student at the University of Stavanger is hopefully a nice, work-related, social and not at least educational time for you as a student. Nevertheless, the meeting with a large educational institution can present challenges.
There are many questions and issues you can face at a university:
- What rights do you have as a student?
- Do you experience bullying or harassment?
- Is there poor indoor climate in the reading room?
- Have you received a letter from the university you do not understand the contents of?
- Can UiS make mistakes in student treatment cases?
- Are you fit to become a teacher or nurse?
- Can you complain about a decision?
Therefore, UiS has a student ombudsperson who will assist you and guide you if you face challenges.
On these websites you will hopefully find a lot of information on various topics related to your study situation. See the menu on the left. If you do not find what you are looking for, do not hesitate to call, send mail or visit the Student Ombudsperson!
Just ask!
My name is Maren Anne Kvaløy, and I am the students ombudsperson at UiS. My office is at Kitty Kielland's house, 2nd floor, above SIS BOK.
The students ombudsperson is an independent person who can give the students advice and assistance, and who can follow up matters that concern the students' rights and duties in the student life. More than 70% of all students in Norway today have access to student ombudsmen.
I am a sociologist, with a major (master) in sociology from the University of Bergen. In addition, I have teaching expertise through PPU, and have worked as a lecturer in legal studies at Stavanger Cathedral School. My background and experience have given me useful knowledge, competence and skills in meeting with you as a student and the issues you can face in your studentlife at the university. I know the university well and have been employed here since 2005. If you are a new student at UiS or have been a student here for several years, meeting with a large and complex educational institution such as UiS can be challenging and offer new and unfamiliar issues. You are most welcome to contact the students ombudsperson with small and large issues that appear in your student life. I will give advice and guidance to the best of my ability, no matter what the case is.
How can the students ombudsperson help you?
Studying at a university can present a lot of challenges. You have to navigate through laws, rules, procedures, deadlines, duties, entitlements and a lot of information.
Students can find that their enquiries do not lead anywhere, or that they are passed on to someone else and don't get an answer. There may have been mistakes involving an exam, internship or exam result.
Students can find themselves in situations in which they do not believe that a case has been handled correctly, or in which the regulations have not been followed. These can include applications for the approval of courses previously completed, applications for leave of absence, extensions to the entitlement to study, adaptation for an exam, extensions to submission deadlines, etc.
You may find that you are refused the right to sit an exam, and risk delaying your study progression. You may find that you have come into conflict with someone and feel bullied. These are just a few examples of cases in which you might find it useful to seek the assistance of the students ombudsman.
The students ombudsman can help to:
- Inform students of their entitlements
- Provide guidance on how and to what party a case should be submitted
- Provide assistance in cases that apply to studies at UiS
- Resolve cases for students at the lowest possible level
- Ensure that cases are handled correctly and according to the normal rules
- Initiate investigations in relation to the handling of students' cases
- Discuss cases directly with the management of a faculty
- If necessary, discuss cases directly with the board
- The students ombudsman has the authority to call meetings between the parties involved
Academic issues
The students ombudsman cannot make any decisions on academic issues. The students ombudsman is also not able to assist in cases regarding complaints about grades, other than to provide information on complaint deadlines and rules regarding such complaints, or to assist students who believe that there has been an error of formality in terms of a grade reassessment.
Anyone notifying the students ombudsman of censurable conditions may ask for their name to be kept confidential. However, this can often make it difficult for the students ombudsman to pursue a case.
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