As more and more students engage in learning environments that are increasingly removed from the traditional classroom experience, it has become clear that managing the risks inherent in these opportunities is imperative to enhancing our students’ safety and reducing liability.
An extensive review of risk management best practices, current literature, case law, and the findings of other institutions of higher education reveals that risks are primarily concentrated in the following five areas:
- Location
- Transportation
- Project activities
- Community Partners
- Special Populations
The risks inherent in each project will vary. Therefore, it is important to use the five areas of risk listed above as a broad funnel through which you can brainstorm and identify the risks associated with your particular activity.
You should contact the experts in Student Disability Services and they will be happy to assist you in making your course more accessible for all students.
Please visit the experts at Fleet Management for more information on short-term and long-term rentals.
No. The only requirement to drive a university vehicle is that the driver has a valid driver’s license.
Yes, all accidents, while driving on UT business, must be reported to the driver’s supervisor, and to the UT System Office of Risk Management as soon as possible. Accidents that involve injury to any person or property damage greater than minor scrapes must also be reported to the local law enforcement agency where the accident occurred.
You and your supervisor need to contact the CorVel Workplace Injury and First Notice of Loss Call Center to report the workers’ compensation claim. Drivers and their supervisors are required to complete a written Driver’s Report of Vehicle Accident and submit it to the UT System Office of Risk Management as soon as possible after the accident.
No. Students driving their personal vehicles to fulfill course or project requirements should have personal automobile insurance in order to cover any damages or liabilities that may arise from their use of that vehicle.
Students may need to purchase insurance so that they can be protected if a claim is made against them. For more information about this process, please contact Clayton Frazier, Experience Learning Risk Manager.
Yes, there are specific concerns that arise if you or your students will interact with minors during your experiential learning activity. The best resource is SA0575- Programs for Minors, which comes from UT’s Policy Central. Although your program might not be considered a “Covered Program” (see policy for specific criteria), several supplemental documents may prove helpful in establishing codes of conduct for university stakeholders who interact with minors. If you visit the Programs for Minors webpage, you can easily download a document titled “Standards of Conduct For Covered Adults”. This document provides a list of practical steps to take when working with minors.
Furthermore, it is important that you and your students are aware of your legal responsibilities as mandatory reporters of child abuse and child sexual abuse. The University has created a document that summarizes the key provisions of Tennessee law on mandatory reporting of child abuse and child sexual abuse. This document can be found here. Please keep a signed copy of this document on file for all university stakeholders involved in your project who may interact with minors.
For more information about planning an experiential learning activity, please reach out to any of the following members of the Experience Learning team:
- Chris Lavan, Director
- John Walker, Assessment Coordinator
- Virginia Stormer, Assistant Director for Experiential Learning
Please visit this page, fill in the relevant sections, and our assistant director of experiential learning will be in touch with you shortly.