JD
I note that you are in the State's; it might help you to understand that we have a different system in the UK, and indeed within Europe in general- in that we do not operate to a FAR121 flight dispatch release system here, where the Flight Dispatcher has joint responsibility with the commander- so perhaps we have some degree of confusion. Our ramp dispatchers generally, have responsibility airside for the turnaround process, often weight and balance- and do not share in any 121 flight release process as you might know it.
Airlines here have operations control offices which run the day to day flying program, flight planning, flight following etc, and are close to the FD'r, but also do what you might know as systems control or network management. In many airlines ops control and the ramp work closely together, in some they don't- but it is true to say we have much in common and a flow information back to Ops Control is imperative. But, different airlines operate different systems.
As far as this forum goes, we do indeed have confusion in terminology surrounding the ramp dispatchers role and that of the operations controller (flight dispatcher- as you would know it). If only people on the forum could adopt the appropriate terminology we have a greater degree of understanding.