Rzecznik praw i wartości akademickich | Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach

university about us Authorities Ombudsperson for Academic Rights and Values

Ombudsperson for Academic Rights and Values

Ombudsperson for Academic Rights and Values is a one-person body of the university established to protect the rights and values of university employees, as well as to monitor and observe the ethical standards.

The term of office of the first Ombudsperson for Academic Rights and Values began on 1 September 2020.

The Senate of the University of Silesia in Katowice has entrusted this function to Prof. Jacek Górecki twice, for the years 2020–2025 and 2025–2030.

Prof. JACEK GÓRECKI

OMBUDSPERSON FOR ACADEMIC RIGHTS AND VALUES

rzecznik.prawiwartosci@us.edu.pl

+48 501 655 819

Secretary office:
biuro.rzecznik.prawiwartosci@us.edu.pl
+48 32 359 2499

40-007 Katowice
ul. Bankowa 14
Pavilion B, 2nd floor, room 348/349

Correspondence address:
ul. Bankowa 12
40-007 Katowice

bio – Prof. Jacek Górecki

Tasks

Ombudsperson for Academic Rights and Values:

upholds academic freedom rights and ethical standards in scientific and educational work,
strives to amicably resolve conflicts and disputes between university employees, as well as between employees and the University bodies and administration,
on their own initiative or at the request of an employee, they are involved in matters and affairs, when, in their opinion, the interest of the University community requires it or when the employee or a group of employees feels harmed, mobbed, harassed, discriminated or treated unevenly,
within the scope of the competences conferred on them, they control over acts, decisions and resolutions issued at the university.

Scope of activities

The Ombudsperson for Academic Rights and Values is independent in the performance of their duties, they are guided by the good of the university, impartial and acts out of concern for fair, equal and substantive treatment of members of the academic community.

In carrying out their duties, they may:

request immediate access to documents related to the matter in which they are involved in from the Rector, other university bodies and management, and also deliver their standpoint about the matter;
present the matters that are being dealt with by themselves to the university bodies and request them to immediately deliver their standpoint about the matter;
signal to the university authorities any irregularities in the functioning of the university and request actions to be taken to remove them;

inform the minister or other competent authorities about any noticed university malfunctions, in the event that university authorities, despite being called by the Ombudsperson for Academic Rights and Values, failed to take measures to remove the noticed malfunctions;
at the employee’s request, participate in the disciplinary proceedings concerning them as a defence lawyer, and present their standpoint to the disciplinary commissioner or the disciplinary commission;

participate in meetings of the Senate or other Committees of the University;
meet with university employees, including the representatives of trade unions operating at the University, in order to present the matters they are dealing with and obtain information about respecting the workers’ rights;
contact the bodies performing tasks related to the academic rights and values at other universities and the Polish Ombudsperson.