Bonnie Blankmeyer, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and executive director of the equal employment opportunity/affirmative action office, has been named institutional employee advisor, a new position at the Health Science Center that serves to provide a safe, comfortable and confidential environment for faculty, staff, students and campus visitors to discuss concerns. Health Science Center President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., announced the appointment, which is effective immediately.
To provide more services and better meet the needs of faculty and staff, Dr. Blankmeyer serves as a neutral dispute resolution practitioner – an advocate for fairness – and provides employees with an understanding of their rights, responsibilities and options. The new service allows individuals to express concerns in an informal, confidential and unofficial manner, expediting the process of resolving them. It is designed to supplement, but does not replace any of the Health Science Center’s existing resources for conflict resolution or formal complaints.
“I am pleased that President Cigarroa has appointed me to this very important role,” Dr. Blankmeyer said. “In my 33 years at the Health Science Center, I have held resident, classified, administrative and professional, and faculty positions. So, I have a nice overview of the Health Science Center from all perspectives, which helps me connect with people who come to seek counsel. I want everyone to know they can come to me if they feel they don’t have a place to go to be heard. What is said in my office does not leave my office. If the person requests that I speak with others involved in their concerns, I always caution the other party that retaliation is against the law, no matter how subtle it is.”
The institutional office of the employee advisor is housed within the equal employment opportunity/affirmative action office and Dr. Blankmeyer reports to President Cigarroa. Among her duties as executive director of the equal employment opportunity/affirmative action office, Dr. Blankmeyer is responsible for ensuring that everyone is afforded equal opportunity and freedom from all forms of discrimination. She also serves as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator, and has general oversight and responsibility for all issues dealing with sexual harassment. In addition, she is the director of the eating disorders program in the department of psychiatry.
Dr. Blankmeyer is no stranger to her new role; for 14 years she has informally helped faculty, staff and students resolve problems. “When individuals did not know where to go to have an informal, confidential conversation with someone to learn their rights, they would often come to me. I find that just listening to people is often the most effective way of resolving problems.”
Dr. Blankmeyer received her Ph.D. degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1985. She joined the Health Science Center in 1973 as a psychometrist.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Blankmeyer, call: (210) 567-2691 or visit her office: Room 101F in the Medical School building.
