Sport and public policy expert Bruce Kidd – a champion of fairness and equity ever since his days as an Olympic runner – has been named the University of Toronto’s next ombudsperson. A professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education and former vice-president and principal of U of T Scarborough, Kidd was appointed to the position for a three-year term, beginning July 1. He says it’s a job he has essentially been training for all his life. “I learned through my early years in track and field to become an ally,” he said. Operating independently of university administration and accountable to the Governing Council, U of T’s Office of the Ombudsperson was first established in 1975 and helps students, staff, faculty and alumni deal with university-related issues and complaints when other avenues have been exhausted. The office also alerts Governing Council and university leadership of broader systemic issues that need attention.