UWB starts the new semester with a focus on social safety

Whether students face inappropriate behavior, discrimination, harassment, or conflict with lecturers or classmates, at UWB, they are not alone. The university has strengthened its faculty ombuds teams, with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Sutnarka now also having their own teams.

The University of West Bohemia in Pilsen is stepping up its efforts to combat bullying, discrimination, and other inappropriate behavior across its faculties. To support students, it has introduced two new student ombuds teams. At the beginning of the semester, two students took on the roles at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and the Faculty of Design and Art Ladislav Sutnar. Their goal is simple: to help create a better and safer environment at the university.

“We want studying to be as trouble-free as possible for all students. I believe that a link between students and the faculty administration, in the form of student ombudspersons, can contribute to a more pleasant and safer environment and, consequently, to greater mental well-being,” explained Anežka Tetřevová, the new student ombudsperson at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering.

Anežka and her fellow ombudsperson, Adam Pícha, are already familiar faces among their fellow students at the faculty. As coordinators, they organize year-group lectures and various informal events for them. In their new roles as ombudspersons, they also offer all students at the faculty independent and confidential support in dealing with academic and personal problems.

“In predominantly male environments – and unfortunately, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering is no exception – mental health is often overlooked, and asking for help is mistakenly seen as a weakness. I want to take on the role of someone who rejects this outdated way of thinking and approaches your problems with empathy,” Adam, the new ombudsperson, said in a message to FEL students.

The faculty leadership also welcomes the initiative. “I believe this is a step towards ensuring that students feel safe here and know that they do not have to face their problems alone,” said FEL Vice-Dean Tomáš Blecha. Students can contact the ombuds team at the shared email address ombudfel@fel.zcu.cz or reach out to either ombudsperson via their individual student email addresses. They can also arrange an in-person meeting. Alternatively, students can submit their concerns to the mailbox located directly in front of the Student Affairs Office.

The Faculty of Design and Art Ladislav Sutnar at UWB also has a new student ombuds team. Jan Mikule and Miroslava Benett have taken on the roles. They, too, primarily want to help. “When we learned that the student ombudsperson role existed, we expressed an interest on the condition that we would work as a team, so that we could devote as much energy to the role as students deserve,” Jan explained, adding: “Given the large number of people at the faculty, we concluded that students would benefit from having someone to help them navigate potentially difficult situations.” Students at Sutnarka can also contact the ombuds team by email.

Student ombudspersons help students navigate difficult situations, advise them on which institutions within or outside UWB they can turn to, and, when necessary, guide them through the entire process of resolving a problem. Each case is handled sensitively and confidentially, with respect for the privacy of everyone involved. At UWB, student ombudspersons are already available at the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the Faculty of Education, and the Faculty of Arts. Students can also contact the university ombudsperson, Petr Šimon, directly.

Those who prefer anonymous contact can also use so-called confidential suggestion boxes. The Faculty of Arts has newly installed them in its corridors, and other faculties are planning to do the same. “The aim is to ensure that students are not afraid to speak up and know that someone will listen to them and that they do not have to face a difficult situation alone. By installing confidential suggestion boxes, we are building on the work of the university ombudsperson, as one such box is already located in the rectorate building in Bory,” explained Tereza Matějková, the student ombudsperson at the Faculty of Arts. Students can find the boxes at the Department of Historical Sciences in the building at Sedláčkova 38 and on the ground floors of the buildings at Sedláčkova 15 and Jungmannova 1. They can submit concerns anonymously or include their contact details.