Campus Recreation
May 12, 2011
Lori Miller Ed.D., JD
Professor, Sport & Recreation Law
Wichita State University
Welcome to Part II of the “360-Degree Risk Management” article. As introduced in the September issue of Risk Management for Campus Recreation (Volume 3.1), the 360-degree risk management concept represents the varied strategies Campus Recreation Directors adopt, implement, and assess to mitigate potential and current risks. Such risks may result in either monetary or non-monetary losses to the respective higher education entity, campus recreation department, supervisors and staff, students, alumni, volunteers, and other community partners (e.g., vendors, sponsors). Financial and non-financial losses, for example, include physical injuries, property damage, impaired public relations, decreased revenues, lower staff morale, and alleged legal improprieties (e.g., breach of contracts, tortuous wrongdoings, violating constitutional guarantees).
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May 12, 2011
Lori Miller Ed.D., JD
Professor, Sport & Recreation Law
Wichita State University
Similar to the annual calendar schedule maintained by the registrar (e.g., semester holidays, begin/end of each semester, last day to withdraw from classes), campus recreation directors can prevent delayed risk management system updates by similarly constructing a 12-month calendar that details for each month of the year the various risk management tasks, staff assigned with primary task responsibility, and respective task timeline. Identifying, for example, two primary risk management tasks per month can add uniformity, consistency, and efficiency to the overall success of the department’s 360-degree risk management system. The 18 items below illustrate only a brief sample of 360-degree risk management calendar inclusions for consideration. And, as noted above, the completed 360-degree risk management system calendar also would include the person(s) (title or role versus person’s name) assigned primarily responsible for task completion, as well as the corresponding timeline (e.g., anticipated time for task completion or month/day/time of identified trainings).
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May 12, 2011
What’s all the fuss?
Joe Risser CPCU, ARM-P
Director, Risk Management
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
The term “Risk Management” has become increasingly popular in recreation activities and programs. But what is it and why is it important?
Let’s take an example of how many people manage risk every day – when driving a car.
We Identify Risk including: personal injury, damage to your car, injury to other persons, their cars, property of others and exposure to liability as well as unplanned expenses (medical expenses, car repair or replacement, fines, court judgments, etc.)
We Analyze Risk by imagining not only our own pain and suffering from injury but also that of others; significant costs of medical expenses; possible loss of income while recovering from injury; costs of repair or replacement of damaged vehicles and other property, and possible large costs for injuries or damages we cause to others if we are judged to be at fault.
We then Develop (or utilize existing) Techniques to manage the risks.
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May 12, 2011
Creating shared responsibility in managing risk
Patricia Malarney
Associate Director of Programming
Campus Recreation
Florida State University
Does your Campus Recreation or Rec Sports Department have a Risk Management Committee? Does this committee meet on a regular basis each semester or convene only when there is an ‘incident’ in your program area or facility? Is risk management the responsibility of one individual or is it clearly stated in the job descriptions for each position in your department? Are your emergency action procedures or protocols consistent throughout the department? Do you have travel guidelines for students and staff? Does your facility have an emergency action plan and is this plan checked or practiced routinely?
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May 12, 2011
Katharine M. Nohr, Esq.
Nohr Sports Risk Management, LLC
On March 18, 2009, headlines all over the world announced that actress Natasha Richardson died from a head injury she sustained from a fall on a Quebec ski slope. An autopsy revealed that she sustained an epidural hematoma, causing bleeding between the skull and the brain’s covering. Such bleeding from a skull fracture may quickly produce a blood clot which puts pressure on the brain, forcing the brain downward. This impacts the brain stem that controls vital functions, including breathing. Logically, if all of that is happening it should be obvious and immediate medical attention would be sought. That is not the case. It is common for people that suffer head injuries to feel fine initially as it takes some time before symptoms emerge. Dr. Keith Siller of New York University Langone Medical Center, when interviewed in relation to this tragedy explained that, “This is a very treatable condition if you’re aware of what the problem is and the patient is quickly transferred to a hospital.”
The news coverage about Natasha Richardson, generally reported that she was a beginning skier who declined to wear a helmet for her ski lesson. She felt fine after her fall and turned an ambulance away at approximately 1:00pm. She later developed a headache and medics returned at approximately 3:00pm. As her condition deteriorated, she was driven from a local hospital to a Montreal hospital, not arriving until approximately 7:00pm. There were no medivac helicopters or airplanes available.
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May 12, 2011
Katharine M. Nohr, Esq.
Nohr Sports Risk Management, LLC
The newspaper headlines report daily on failing business, lost jobs, stock market plunges and government bailouts. It looks like this recession is here to stay for awhile at least, and so schools and recreational facilities are faced with decreased revenues and increased costs. Budgets are being prepared for 2009 and beyond with plans to slash unnecessary expenses and programs. Before an organization cuts its risk management budget and decreases insurance coverage in order to save on premiums, it is important to consider that declining economic conditions lead to increased incidences of insurance fraud. Accordingly, lawsuits increase during a bad economy as those that are injured seek compensation, exaggerating their injuries or placing blame on others when, in a good economy, they might have accepted the blame themselves.
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