History of the Ombudsman
The Office of the Ombudsman at SDSU was established in 1968, just two years after Eastern Montana College became the first educational institution in the United States to appoint an ombudsperson. In 1967, Michigan State University had become the first major U.S. University to implement and ombuds office. During the late 1960's and early 1970's, a number of universities established ombuds programs in an attempt to respond to demands for a neutral, confidential, and "safe" place to discuss concerns and voice complaints. It is now estimated that more than 200 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada have implemented ombuds offices.
The ombudsman position was originally created in Sweden in 1809. The Swedish Parliament appointed an ombudsman to resolve difficult problems in the absence of the country’s abducted king. In the U.S. and Canada, ombuds programs have been created to assist citizens, consumers, employees and students who wish to address concerns about administrative actions or lack of action. The ombuds function is utilized in state and local governments, nursing homes, the media, colleges and universities, industry, prisons, and agencies of the federal government.
(Ombuds history excerpted from the University and College Ombuds Association handbook).