United Educators Fund

Prevention and Protection Podcast: Recent Changes to Higher Education Athletics Benefits

Amy Piccola, a Partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, Andrea Brockway, Counsel at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, and Melanie Bennett, Senior Risk Management Counsel at UE, discuss recent changes to higher education athletics benefits.
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Guide for On-Campus Operations

In these unprecedented times, schools and colleges continue to struggle with how to provide educational services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on current recommendations, this guide provides risk management recommendations to inform the decision on whether to resume on-campus operations and the process for resumption.
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Ramp Up Consent Training as Students Return to Campus

Although changes to the 2020 Title IX regulations are expected in 2022, higher education institutions should not use this as a reason to delay student training, especially about consent to sexual activity. With students returning to campus in large numbers, colleges and universities need to educate them about what consent means at their school as a critical part of an effective sexual misconduct prevention program.
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Hazing Prevention: Strategies for Healthy Rites of Passage

Hazing continues to be a problem in student groups. Understand what steps you can take to prevent hazing behavior by your campus student groups to create a healthier campus culture.
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Considerations for Conducting In-Person Camps

If you're holding an in-person camp this summer, follow these CDC recommendations to increase safety and reduce liability.
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Guide to Campus Telehealth Risk Mitigation

This publication addresses risk management considerations for institutions as they adopt or increase their use of telehealth services on campus.
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Prevention and Protection Podcast: K-12 Reaction to the 2020 Title IX Regulations

This episode of Prevention and Protection discusses the impact of the 2020 final Title IX regulations on K-12 schools around the country.
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Prevention and Protection Podcast: Higher Education Reaction to the 2020 Title IX Regulations

This episode of Prevention and Protection discusses the impact of the 2020 final Title IX regulations on higher education campuses around the country.
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Three Keys to a Successful ERM Program

Whether you are just starting out with enterprise risk management (ERM) or trying to sustain your mature program, United Educators (UE) recommends orienting around three keys to ensure your ERM program's success.
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Campus Sexual Harassment: Title IX Training Requirements

This guide on training requirements under the new Title IX regulations should help higher education institutions and K-12 schools comply with the specific mandates; it includes links to sample training materials.
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Title IX Supportive Measures, Remedies, and Sanctions: After the Regulations

Use this checklist to ensure your institution is providing appropriate support and sanctions to those involved in the Title IX grievance process.
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Informal Resolution of Sexual Harassment Complaints

This checklist will help you evaluate your institution's voluntary Title IX informal resolution process.
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Large Loss Report 2021

The Large Loss Report 2021 summarizes major damage awards and settlements of more than $500,000 that affected K-12 schools, colleges, and universities in 2020.
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Checklist for Sexual Harassment Investigations

This checklist highlights best practices and regulations requirements for conducing investigation of student and employee complaints of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, and stalking.
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Title IX Coordinators Checklist: After the Regulations

This Title IX Coordinator checklist should be helpful to both education institutions and K-12 schools that are subject to Title IX and thus required to have a Title IX Coordinator. It encompasses not only the mandates of the 2020 regulations specific to Title IX Coordinators but also includes other relevant practices United Educators (UE) recommends.
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Checklist for Title IX-Compliant Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedures in Higher Education

The final Title IX regulations impose numerous requirements governing how higher education institutions must handle grievance procedures for sexual harassment complaints under Title IX.
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Checklist for Title IX-Compliant Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedures in K-12 Schools

The final Title IX regulations impose numerous requirements governing how K-12 schools must handle grievance procedures for sexual harassment complaints under Title IX.
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Checklist for Title IX-Compliant Policies Against Sexual Harassment in K-12 Schools

The final Title IX regulations impose numerous requirements that must be included in K-12 schools’ policies, including a narrowed definition of the conduct that qualifies as sexual harassment under Title IX.
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Webinar: Unpacking the Final Title IX Regulations, Part 2: More Q&A With Josh Richards

As a follow up to Unpacking the Final Title IX Regulations, Q&A With an Expert, Josh Richards of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP continues to answer questions about the final Title IX regulations issued by the Department of Education in May 2020.
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Manage the Risks of Remote Learning in Higher Education

Institutions may continue offering remote learning or may switch from in-person to remote learning due to a pandemic or other crisis. To ensure a positive remote learning experience for students and employees, administrators can use this guide to identify and manage key risk management issues.
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Webinar: Coronavirus: Recommendations for Resuming On-Campus Operations

In this webinar, Jean Chin, chair of the American College Health Association (ACHA) COVID-19 Task Force, and Hayley Hanson, partner at Husch Blackwell, respond to common questions about returning to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Planning and Executing Your Return to Campus: Considerations for Leaders in Education

United Educators partnered with Deloitte to publish this resource to address process questions senior leaders must consider when making key decisions. Recommendations include topics such as implementing a COVID-19 response team, tabletop exercise processes, planning for key reopening activities, a sample decision-making framework, and a roadmap for recovery and resuming campus operations.
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Checklist: Employee Layoffs Driven by Financial Pressure

This checklist is intended to help higher education institutions and K-12 schools that must lay off employees because of financial pressures. It can be used to help them plan and conduct the layoff process in a way that is fair to employees and that reduces schools' potential liability.
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Webinar: Unpacking the Final Title IX Regulations, Part 1: Q&A With an Expert

In this webinar, Joshua W.B. Richards of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP highlights significant provisions of the final Title IX regulations issued by the Department of Education in May 2020. The speaker also responds to audience questions about the regulations, which take effect Aug. 14, 2020, for all educational institutions subject to Title IX.
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The Campus SaVE Act: A Compliance Guide

The Campus SaVE Act amended the Clery Act to include certain crimes of intimate partner violence to the criminal offenses about which higher education institutions must report statistics and provide specific information in their annual security reports (ASRs). This publication provides guidance to help institutions meet these requirements.
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Golf Carts on Campus

Educational institutions use golf carts to transport students and visitors, patrol the campus grounds, and perform campus maintenance activities. A United Educators (UE) claims review found that between 2012 to 2016 golf cart accidents on campuses resulted in over $1.6 million in losses. Implementing a few key practices can help educational institutions avoid or reduce such costly claims.
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Research on Human Subjects: Is Your Institution Complying With Federal Rules?

Federal law mandates that Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) pre-approve research on humans. Because of their complex research programs, most large research universities have well-developed IRB protocols, but many smaller institutions do not. IRBs review research proposals to ensure they meet safety standards, do not present conflicts of interest, and properly obtain consent from research subjects. Federal agencies have suspended government-funded human subject research at institutions that failed to follow IRB protocols.
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Addressing Sexual Violence in MOUs Between Campuses and Law Enforcement

Building strong partnerships between administrators and local law enforcement agencies should be a key component of every institution’s plan to reduce the risk of sexual violence. In this piece, UE provides recommendations for addressing sexual violence in a general campus safety memorandum of understanding.
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VAWA-Campus SaVE Act Federal Training Requirements for Students

Most higher education institutions are subject to VAWA—also known as the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act—which requires institutions to train students on sexual violence issues. This resource explains the training mandates and provides UE’s recommendations and suggestions to help institutions meet them.

VAWA-Campus SaVE Act Training Requirements for Employees

Most higher education institutions are subject to VAWA—also known as the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act—which requires institutions to train employees on sexual violence issues. This resource explains the training mandates and provides UE’s recommendations and suggestions to help institutions meet them.
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Identifying Campus Security Authorities

Allegations of inaccurate Clery Act statistics have been a frequent source of bad publicity for colleges and universities. A common cause of inaccurate Clery data is confusion over who qualifies as a CSA.
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Data Breach Prevention and Response: A Guide for Business Officers

This guide to data breaches for risk managers and business officers identifies common computer network vulnerabilities at educational institutions. It provides checklists for planning security and response, detection of breaches, exposure assessments, and system restoration and recovery.
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Accommodating Students with Disabilities in Clinical Programs

Managing students with documented disabilities in clinical programs can present unanticipated difficulties. If a student is “otherwise qualified”—i.e., meets the academic requirements—to participate in the degree program, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act require institutions to provide reasonable accommodations for his or her disability.
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Invisible Disabilities at the 25th Anniversary of the ADA

July marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the law prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities at public and private educational institutions. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that more than 90 percent of disabilities are invisible—in other words, not observable or apparent. Examples include learning disabilities and attention deficits, autism spectrum disorders, mental or psychiatric impairments, and chronic diseases.
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Webinar: Confronting Campus Sexual Assault: An Examination of Higher Education Claims

This webinar reviews the findings from UE’s study of student sexual assault claims and explores how colleges and universities can respond to and prevent sexual violence.

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Resources for Confronting Campus Sexual Assault

Title IX and Beyond: FAQs on Federal Laws and Guidance

These FAQs summarize major provisions of the Campus SaVE Act and federal guidance from 2014 and 2011 on Title IX, provide general compliance recommendations, and alert members to future developments that may increase the compliance burden.
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Confronting Campus Sexual Assault

This report discusses the key findings of UE’s sex assault claims study and looks at perpetrator and victim characteristics, circumstances of the assault, response from the institution, and resulting litigation.
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Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act Learning Program

A new federal law affects students and anyone who works for a college or university. This learning program examines the new law: what it is, why it's needed, how it affects you, and ways to get help for yourself or others.

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Webinar: Preventing Student Sexual Violence - Transforming Campus Culture

This webinar features one university's approach to transforming campus culture to prevent student sexual violence.
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Preventable Claims: Understanding the Family and Medical Leave Act

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave per year to address medical issues or care for loved ones, but the complicated law can raise costly liability concerns for educational institutions.

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Managing the Risks of Athlete Concussions in Independent Schools

Concussions are a significant safety concern in youth sports. Schools must take steps to protect student athletes from these dangerous head injuries and to respond appropriately when an injury occurs. From educating staff about concussions to documenting treatment, learn to safeguard your students and your school.
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Managing the Risks of Athlete Concussions in Public Schools

Concussions are a significant safety concern in youth sports. Schools must take steps to protect student athletes from these dangerous head injuries and to respond appropriately when an injury occurs. From educating staff about concussions to documenting treatment, learn to safeguard your students and your school.
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