By Samuel Florio, JD, Director, Risk Management and Compliance for Santa Clara University and URMIA President.
As the leaves begin changing colors - yes, even in California the leaves change - we should take a moment to think back to our amazing 48th Annual Conference in Orlando. We must thank Steve Bryant, Chauncey Fagler, the Annual Conference Committee and the URMIA National Office staff for their incredible work. It was a conference to be remembered.
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Reprinted from Terra Dotta's newsletter with permission.
The University of Texas at Austin relies on a two-page report form to record all health and safety incidents that occur during study abroad programs, ranging from illness and injury to aggravated assault and robbery. The data not only ensures that the university supports students during and immediately following any incidents, but it helps with long-term program planning, too. Take the example of a popular program offered in a specific region each year by UT Austin.
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As reported in an earlier URMIA Insights, the URMIA Annual Conference Committee outdid themselves this year, creating a strong program and lining up fun activities for our 48th Annual Conference, Launching Risk Into the Future. Conference attendance roared to nearly 900 registrants this year! Disney's Beach and Yacht Club Convention Center was an ideal setting for our program, providing great meeting space that was just the right fit for our group. We had several successful pre-conference events, including an ARM-E review class, a Disney behind the magic tour, our new member and first timer session, golf, an URMIA Board of Directors meeting, and our President's Reception.
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By Joseph Jean and Matthew D. Stockwell, Partners, Pillsbury. Reprinted from the June 13, 2017, edition of Policyholder Pulse; for further insights, visit www.policyholderpulse.com.
An all-too-common problem in the construction industry occurs when a company that is supposed to name another company as an additional insured on its policy fails to do so. The company that expects to be an additional insured (typically an owner or upstream contractor) sometimes does not follow through to ensure that it is actually added to the policy through an endorsement or may rely on a Certificate of Insurance, which is not proof of coverage.
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Happy early winter, URMIA. Throughout November, URMIA will host "Risk Management Wednesdays" webinars; read on to register and learn more. Also, be sure to mark your calendars for our 2018 Regional Conference schedule, apply or nominate a colleague for a regional conference scholarship by 12/15/17, and submit a presentation for one of our spring 2018 regionals!
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Each month, this article provides some of the latest risk management resources, as well as a calendar of upcoming events, webinars, conferences and other learning opportunities in which you or your campus colleagues may be interested.
Risk management resources
- Risk Management Wednesdays webinar series, URMIA. Each Wednesday during the month of November, URMIA provides programming to highlight the importance of risk management at institutions of higher education. Everyone is welcome to participate at no cost! Use Risk Management Wednesdays to reach out to colleagues and spread the word about risk management goals and concepts. Host activities for faculty, staff and students that incorporate or follow up on the topics explored in this webinar series: think lunch and learns, student awareness events, professional development, social media campaigns, etc. It is important for everyone to understand common risks on college and university campuses; local, state and federal regulations; and what individuals can do to practice effective risk management. Register today!
- 2017 URMIA Journal, URMIA. URMIA's Board of Directors, Communications Committee and National Office are proud to announce the publication of the 2017 edition of its annual higher education risk management publication, the URMIA Journal. URMIA would like to thank the selected authors for their efforts and dedication to the profession of risk management. URMIA would also like to thank the sponsors of the 2017 URMIA Journal for their generous support. Sponsors include AIG, CHIMERA, Praesidium, Philadelphia Insurance Companies and Terra Dotta. Lastly, HUGE thanks go out to the co-chairs and members of the URMIA Communications Committee - we could not produce such a high-quality, professional publication each year without your efforts!
- National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4). The NCS4 developed a partnership with the Texas Engineering Extension Service's National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center, a member of the Texas A&M University System, to create and deliver DHS- and FEMA-approved sport security training workshops for emergency responders, senior officials and medical personnel conducting sporting events. Check out the latest "Weekly Snapshot" from the National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS) for more information about NCS4's work.
- "Harassment in the Field," Inside Higher Ed. This October 17 article discusses widespread sexual harassment at academic field sites. It references a 2014 report, "The Clancy Report," as a basis for much of the current discussion and continuing research on this issue. A number of Australian universities are taking progressive steps to prepare faculty, staff and students for life at field sites, particularly those in challenging areas or conflict zones. The goal of these programs goes well beyond reducing the potential for liability claims, focusing on retention rates, completion rates and improved research, providing an enterprise risk management (ERM) approach to a thorny risk management issue.
- "In Columbia Falls, A Shaken School District Moves Forward from Cyber Threats," Flathead Beacon. This article from the Flathead Beacon in Kalispell, MT, discusses the increased sophistication and maliciousness of recent ransom threats. The level of carnage being threatened is unprecedented and may warrant a different level of response than previously planned for ransom threats.
- "College Websites Must Accommodate Disabled Students, Lawsuits Say," New York Times. This October 11 article highlights recent findings regarding an increasing number of cases centered on accessibility and the internet. According to the article, "The federal law requires that public accommodations be accessible to those with disabilities, and legal battles have long revolved around physical spaces and therefore physical solutions, such as elevators or wheelchair ramps. Now, advocates and lawyers argue, websites are also public spaces and need to be accessible, with things like captions or audio descriptions." These accommodations touch every college and university and must be considered as part of the institution's accommodations.
- Third-Party Contract Insurance Guidelines - September 2017, URMIA. URMIA is pleased to present the 2017 edition of the Third-Party Contract Insurance Guidelines white paper. This is a mature document that did not require major revisions this year; it was last updated in 2014. Readers will find some additions and changes to keep pace with the ever-changing risk management and insurance field, including information regarding drones. ACORD and ISO forms have been updated to provide our readers with the most current editions. It can also be found in the URMIA Library under "URMIA White Papers."
- 2017 Survey of Cyber Insurance Market Trends, Advisen. This free, 14-page paper, sponsored by Partner Re, presents the results of a comprehensive market survey on the evolution of the cyber insurance marketplace. The paper also highlights how players view key events and issues, such as the impact of the general data protection regulation (GDPR) on the take-up rate for cyber liability insurance, the Dyn DDOS attack and the WannaCry ransomware attack.
- State of Play: Managing Brain Injury Risk in College Sports, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Higher Education Practice. Athletics are a key component of educational institutions—delivering benefits of fitness, teamwork and leadership, reinforcing school pride, and increasing alumni and community support. This white paper provides helpful insights into how to protect your institution, your reputation and your athletes from the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This white paper details the expertise from a think tank made up of industry professionals, including several URMIA members. Our thanks to Arthur J. Gallagher and Co.'s Higher Education Practice for sharing this invaluable resource with our membership.
- Frequently Asked Questions about Cyber Insurance, EDUCAUSE and URMIA. This document discusses cyber insurance and how it relates to the insurance needs of higher education institutions. This collaborative effort of EDUCAUSE and URMIA is located in the URMIA Library and is also being shared with EDUCAUSE members.
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URMIA's membership continues to grow. Help us welcome our newest members, and read on to learn about the professional updates from your colleagues.
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