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Institutional Profiles of Risk Management - Part 15

By URMIA Staff posted 4 hours ago

  
Institutional Profiles of Risk Management URMIA


Discover what the risk management function/structure looks like at other URMIA member institutions

If You’ve Seen Two Institutions’ Risk Management Structure…

Modifying our favorite phrase from Gary Langsdale, an URMIA past president and former assistant vice president & university risk officer at Penn State University, we would complete the header to say “you’ve seen two institutions’ risk management structure.”

We’re sharing the risk management profile of URMIA institutional members to help you see how others are structured and find some fellow URMIAns that you might want to connect with because you have a question about how they operate.

Institution name

Abilene Christian University

College of the Florida Keys
Location
Abilene, Texas Key West, Florida
Institution type
Private Public
School Enrollment*
4,646 861
How big is your risk management department
1 person @ 50% of their time devoted to risk management responsibilities 1 person @ 20% of their time devoted to risk management responsibilities
Title of person top risk manager reports to
Chief Financial Officer Executive Vice President and CFO
Department/division where risk management is housed
Finance Finance and Administration
Areas risk management is responsible for
Alternative Risk Financing, Auxiliary Programs, Business Continuity, Casualty Insurance, Claims, Compliance, Contracts, Crisis/Emergency Management, Emerging Risks, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), Export Controls and Research Security, Facilities, Finance & Business Administration, Fine Arts & Special Collections, Institutional Compliance, Insurance, Internal Audit, International/Travel Abroad, Law and Legal Affairs, Loss Control, Minors, Research, Research Compliance, Safety & Security, Strategic Planning, Student Clubs & Organizations, Technology, Transportation

Auxiliary Programs, Casualty Insurance,
Claims, Compliance, Contracts, 
Crisis/Emergency Management, Emerging
Risks, Finance & Business Administration, Insurance, International/Travel Abroad

Any other information about risk management on your campus that you'd like to share?

We are continuing to mature into a more integrated, enterprise-level model that brings risk, compliance, safety, and audit functions into closer alignment. This includes a formalized ERM process tied to leadership- and board-level reporting, along with a refreshed internal audit plan that is risk-informed and aligned to institutional priorities.

Given the nature of our institution, we also have a strong emphasis on research compliance and security, including export controls, as well as environmental health and safety and emergency management. We are working to ensure these areas are not siloed, but instead operate in a coordinated manner that supports both operational needs and institutional assurance.

Culturally, we emphasize that risk ownership resides across the institution, with our office serving as a central resource to support, guide, and provide oversight rather than solely as a control function. This approach has helped strengthen engagement with campus partners while advancing a more proactive and informed risk posture. 

*Per IPEDS's most recent data, 2023-24

6/22/2026
By URMIA Staff


#InsightsArticle

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