Shannon Lynn Burton, Ph.D. became an Adjunct Professor of Management in early 2020
for Aquinas College. In her full-time role as University Ombudsperson at Michigan
State University, she seeks to make the office a touchpoint for building trust within
the organization by creating a space where individuals can freely discuss their concerns
in an environment that adheres to the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) Standards
of Practice: confidentiality, informality, neutrality and independence. At the center
of this, she aspires to:
- Treat individuals as conscious beings able to actively participate in creating solutions
through reflection;
- Increase capacity for conflict resolution and engage processes that build democracy;
and
- Develop critical thinking skills and create lifelong learners.
Ultimately, her goal is to develop human capital in managing conflict and improve
communication skills in line with the role and purpose of the ombuds office, as well
as in line with the university's mission.
Dr. Burton serves the broader professional community through her work as one of the
International Ombudsman Association's (IOA) inaugural co-chairs for the Research and
Assessment Committee and as Editor for the Journal of the IOA (JIOA). Previously,
she served on the IOA Title IX Task Force. Dr. Burton is an active member of the Michigan
Caucus of Educational Ombuds, as well as the American Bar Association's (ABA) Ombuds
Committee where she serves as the Editor for the Ombuds Edition of the Just Resolutions
newsletter. More recently, she became one of the ombuds for the American Educational
Research Association (AERA) in addition to her other roles. Finally, she regularly
presents, researches and consults on organization and administration, learning theory,
conflict resolution, and dialogue and deliberation.
