Prevention and Protection

United Educators risk management consultants Liza Kabanova and Justin Kollinger discuss lessons learned during research for the 2020 edition of the book  "An Accountability Guide for University and College Boards ." Topics covered include the value of ERM programs today, new and emerging risks, and practical lessons for senior administrators and boards looking to start or refresh ERM programs.

United Educators risk management consultants Liza Kabanova and Justin Kollinger discuss the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic in education – as well as new and emerging risks.

In this episode, Jamie Forbes, CEO of Learning Courage, and Melanie Bennett, risk management counsel at United Educators, discuss how schools can protect children in a remote learning program from sexual misconduct.

In this episode , Heather Salko, senior risk management counsel at United Educators (UE) interviews Alyssa Keehan, UE's director of risk research about whether waivers and assumption of risk forms are a valuable risk management tool, when to use these forms, and some tips for writing them.

In this episode of the Prevention and Protection podcast, Quincy McLaughlin, associate head of school and head of upper school at Greenhills School in Michigan, explains how K-12 schools can train volunteers to prevent and report student sexual misconduct.

In this episode, Scott Warner of Husch Blackwell discusses considerations higher education institutions should keep in mind when planning for students to return to campus in the wake of the COVID-19, or coronavirus, pandemic.

In this episode , attorney Ellen Babbitt discusses managing the risks of higher ed academic program changes driven by economic pressures; these range from eliminating majors to closing institutions. Ellen and her colleagues at Husch Blackwell wrote UE's recently released publications on the topic, including an overview guide and four detailed checklists.

This discussion with Jody Shipper of Grand River Solutions focuses on tips to employ and pitfalls to avoid when conducting your Title IX investigations remotely while campuses have moved to online work and instruction during the COVID-10 pandemic of 2020. Listen to how your institution can continue to conduct high quality investigations that remain compliant with Title IX.

This discussion between Robb Jones, former senior vice president and general counsel for resolutions, and Heather Salko, senior risk management counsel, both of United Educators, analyzes two recent Title IX court decisions in the Sixth Circuit. These case developments have an impact in that federal circuit but likely will have an impact in other circuits as well. Listen to how these court decisio...

In this episode, United Educators risk researcher Christine McHugh interviews senior resolutions counsel Rhonda Hurwitz about the recent class action settlement agreement related to concussion management and medical monitoring. The discussion explains the lawsuit that led to the settlement, the settlement's provisions, and the benefits for institutions which comply with the provisions by the May 1...

In this episode of the Prevention and Protection podcast, United Educators attorney Kimberly Cole interviews Dr. Leah Cox, vice president for inclusion and institutional equity at Towson University, about the role that campus diversity and inclusion offices can play in managing campus protests.

Most claims brought against UE members will be dismissed or settled before going to trial. Many settlements are achieved through mediation, allowing the parties to negotiate through a neutral third party. In part two of this two-part episode of the Prevention and Protection podcast, Joan Morrow, a mediator with extensive experience mediating cases involving educational institutions, shares her ins...

Most claims brought against UE members will be dismissed or settled before going to trial. Many settlements are achieved through mediation, allowing the parties to negotiate through a neutral third party. In part one of this two-part episode of the Prevention and Protection podcast, Joan Morrow, a mediator with extensive experience mediating cases involving educational institutions, shares her ins...

The Safe Sport Authorization Act, signed into law in early 2018, protects athletes from abuse with new reporting and training requirements for amateur sports organizations. In this episode of the Prevention and Protection podcast, Phil Catanzano, a senior counsel and member of the Education Team at the Holland & Knight law firm, explains the act and recommends actions for schools and colleges.

Alyssa Keehan, director of risk research, interviews Heather Salko, senior risk management counsel, about the UE student mental health claims study.

When court cases are nearing trial, United Educators (UE) often employs a trial consulting firm to conduct a mock trial to gain insights into how the case may play out before a jury. These insights help defense counsel adjust their trial strategy and work with witnesses to present the best possible defense of UE's members. In this episode of Prevention and Protection , trial consultant Jill Huntle...

Indemnification provisions in contracts used by institutions can either help or harm, depending on how they are worded. Careful review of every contract is important to understand whether the indemnification provision is beneficial to your college or university. This episode of Prevention and Protection offers tips on how to avoid common indemnification problems as you enter into contracts on beha...

United Educators' (UE) new claims study, Educator Sexual Misconduct at Independent Schools: Insights From UE Claims , examines trends in independent school educator sexual misconduct claims received between January 2011 and December 2016. In this episode of Prevention and Protection , UE's Alyssa Keehan, director of risk research, and Melanie Bennett, risk management counsel, discuss findings from...

Phone and computer evidence can provide clarity in Title IX investigations. In this episode of Prevention and Protection , Melanie Bennett, risk management counsel, speaks with Kelsey Feeheley, claims counsel, about UE's Title IX claims involving technology and the lessons they provide.

The NCAA passed a policy in 2017 requiring its member schools to train student athletes and athletics staff about sexual violence prevention. In this podcast, UE's Alyssa Keehan interviews Janet Judge, a partner at Holland & Knight and a national title IX athletics expert about the contents of the new NCAA policy and how colleges can comply.

The recent #MeToo movement focused national attention on social media postings documenting sexual abuse. In this podcast, UE's Melanie Bennett interviews David Wolowitz, a partner and co-chair of the Education Practice Group at McLane Middleton, about independent school response to student social media disclosures of sexual harassment.

UE's Heather Salko speaks with Jeffrey Nolan, an attorney at the firm of Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew, about "trauma-informed" investigations—what they are, and how to institute them in Title IX and VAWA-related investigations. Jeff discusses ways to ensure fairness to both the complainant and the respondent during trauma-informed investigations and how institutions can evaluate trainers and training p...

College parties are a hotbed for a variety of calamities such as fights, falls, and sexual assaults. In this episode, Alyssa Keehan, director of risk research at UE, and Lisa Barnett, a claims attorney who has handled many of UE's claims arising from college parties, discuss strategies for managing the risks of this activity.

Joe Vossen of United Educators is joined by attorney Shamus O'Meara to explain the security design response to the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. Learn about design standards for new school buildings, practices for assessing existing school buildings, and crisis planning considerations.

Jeffrey Nolan, a partner at Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew in Burlington, Vt., and UE senior risk management counsel Heather Salko discuss service animals and emotional support animals on campus.