A social worker experienced in conflict resolution, Faye Mishna to become U of T’s next ombudsperson 

Faye Mishna, an expert on bullying, cyberbullying and the use of new technologies in the field of social work, will become the University of Toronto’s next ombudsperson.

A professor in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, Mishna was appointed to the role for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2025.

She says there are many parallels between her research and scholarship and her new role – particularly when it comes to conflict resolution and impartiality.  

“The goal is to be impartial, listen and to help figure something out in a way that feels reasonable,” she says. “When I think about social work, you are often dealing with situations in which you’re there to help facilitate, but not to take a side.” 

U of T’s Office of the Ombudsperson, which operates across all three campuses and marks its 50^th anniversary this year, was established in 1975 to help students, staff, faculty, librarians and alumni deal with university-related issues and complaints when other avenues have been exhausted. In addition, the office plays a crucial role in alerting the Governing Council and university leadership to broader systemic issues that need attention.

The ombudsperson operates independently of university administration and is accountable to the Governing Council, which approved the appointment at its Feb. 27 meeting. Matters brought to the ombudsperson are kept strictly confidential unless complainants agree otherwise.

“A highly respected member of the University community, Professor Mishna has deep and extensive knowledge of the institution,” says Indi Gopinathan, chair of the committee to recommend the appointment of the university ombudsperson. 

“She has a well-earned reputation for being principled and fair, and a demonstrated commitment to the values of the University. These attributes are essential in the Ombudsperson role.”

Mishna will succeed Professor Emeritus Bruce Kidd, who has served as the ombudsperson since 2021 and will complete his term on June 30, 2025. Kidd was the founding dean of U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education and has also served as the vice-president and principal of U of T Scarborough. 

Mishna says her new role “feels right” as she prepares to become a professor emerita in July after a 26-year career at the university. 

During that time, Mishna has held multiple leadership roles in the field of social work. She joined the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work in 1999 as an assistant professor and went on to serve as associate dean research and dean and provostial adviser on aggression in social media.  She is cross-appointed to the department of psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, an invited member of the Wilson Centre and a senior fellow at Massey College. 

Mishna says she was first exposed to the issues she would go on to study as PhD student when she was a practising social worker. At the time, she was assisting children with learning disabilities who experienced bullying – a problem then often dismissed as a part of growing up. Through her PhD research, she would later discover the profound impact bullying could have on children’s social and emotional well-being. In particular, she found that bullying – and cyberbullying – are deeply tied to relationships, social norms and power imbalances. As a result, she looks for solutions that address the relationships and social dynamics in which these behaviours occur. 

“It changed the way I worked with kids and parents,” she says. 

An integral part of her research, which also focuses on issues such as “sexting” and the sharing of non-consensual images, has entailed collaboration with community agencies and organizations. This includes working with students and teachers at the Toronto school boards as well as independent and private schools.  

“Before joining the university, I was a community social worker,” she says. “Those are my roots.” 

She’s also collaborated with University College London on youth sexting projects and co-developed the Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency field of study in the Master of Social Work at U of T with Charmaine Williams, dean and professor in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, and Indigenous community leaders. 

Through her involvement in professional organizations, Mishna has contributed to the advancement of social work education and practice. And she’s helped develop U of T programs that support the mental health and well-being of students. 

In her new role as ombudsperson, Mishna hopes to create an environment where community members feel comfortable approaching the office. 

“People will come with all kinds of expectations. My hope is that they will feel listened to and heard and that there was a real effort to make things right.”