Ombudsperson Greg Scharer serving Wright State students, employees

Greg Scharer is executive director of alumni relations and ombudsperson at Wright State.

Wright State University community members have an advocate and a confidant they can go to discuss campus-related problems in university ombudsperson Greg Scharer.

Scharer, who has served as ombudsperson since 2021, provides an impartial, confidential and informal means for faculty, staff and students to discuss campus-related concerns or problems off the record.

Scharer also continues to serve as the executive director of the Office of Alumni Relations.

“As university ombudsperson, I receive about 50 contacts a year from faculty, staff and students who need assistance whether it be to help mediate a conflict or just to serve as a sounding board for them when they need to talk,” said Scharer, who was recently named to the president’s Mental Health Task Force.

Scharer brings a wealth of experience to the ombudsperson role: he has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland and is a trained mediator. He also has extensive experience in community referrals, mental health and government policy.

The ombudsperson does not provide legal advice, psychological counseling or advocacy but instead seeks to inform and empower community members to handle their own concerns. The ombudsperson also provides input on policy and practices to reduce confusion, address gaps or chronic misinterpretation, and promote equity, inclusion and institutional fairness.

The Ombuds Office adheres to the International Ombudsman Association’s standards of practice and Code of Ethics (PDF).

To request an appointment, email Ombuds@wright.edu. More information is available on the Ombuds Office’s webpage.

Prior to joining Wright State in 2011, Scharer served as senior director for alumni relations and development at Ohio University and program director and government affairs chair for the Mental Health Association in Rockville, Maryland.

In addition to his master’s degree, Scharer earned a bachelor’s degree in human consumer sciences from Ohio University.