A Risk Management Presentation for Lamar University Student Organizations

1. A Risk Management Presentation for Lamar University Student Organizations

2. Effective September 1, 2007, the 80th Texas Legislature enacted HB 2639/SB 1138 (Texas Education Code Section 51.9361) regarding risk management education for members and advisors of student organizations registered at postsecondary educational institutions. Under the law, it is mandatory for representatives of registered student organizations and individuals selected by the University to complete a risk management educational program.

3. Effective September 1, 2007, the 80th Texas Legislature enacted HB 2639/SB 1138 (Texas Education Code Section 51.9361) regarding risk management education for members and advisors of student organizations registered at postsecondary educational institutions. Under the law, it is mandatory for representatives of registered student organizations and individuals selected by the University to complete a risk management educational program.

4. What is risk management? • Risk management considers the potential and perceived risk involved in student events and programs. • It includes monitoring organization activities and taking both proactive action and corrective steps to minimize accidental injury and/or loss.

5. Why are we talking about risk management? • It is the responsibility of the University to define appropriate boundaries (University policy, the law, etc.) and assist you in making choices. And it is your responsibility to acknowledge your own critical role when it comes to your own safety and that of other members of the campus community. • This presentation is designed to familiarize student leaders, advisors, and members of Lamar University student organizations with proper risk assessment and management issues.

6. What are types of risk? • Physical – injury, illness, death, hazing, sexual assault, binge/excessive drinking • Psychological – hazing, sexual assault, eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse • Financial – money handling, fundraising, budgets • Reputational – the media, views from other members of the community • Environmental/physical space – fire safety, property damage, exceeding room capacity, crowd control, driving • Other potential harm – underage drinking, violating the law or University rules

7. After today’s State Mandated Risk Management Training, you will hopefully: •Understand the purpose of the training, specifically the state law component •Have a better understanding of risks associated with the topic areas •Recognize potential risks within your organization •Identify campus and community resources to address risks associated with the topic areas •Obtain tools to develop a risk management plan that is effective for your organization

8. Mandatory Topics to Cover: •Hazing •Alcohol & Other Drugs •Travel •Sexual Abuse/Harassment •Fire and Other Safety Issues •Behavior at Organizational Sponsored Events •Adoption of a Risk Management Policy for your Organization

9. General Reminders: *Attendance: Your attendance from start to finish today is required for compliance *Cell Phones: Please set on silent to avoid disturbing presentations and neighbors *Take Notes: If needed as it will be your duty to report back to your organization with today’s information *Survey: Complete the Survey at:

10. Hazing

11. POLICY: • Lamar University has a ZERO TOLERANCE Policy on Hazing. The University neither tolerates excuses nor does it acknowledge different levels of hazing, i.e. “it was just a little hazing”. • In an effort to encourage the reporting of hazing incidents, the law grants immunity from civil or criminal liability to any person who reports a specific hazing event and immunizes that person from participation in any judicial proceeding resulting from that report. • Criminal penalties for failure to report: a fine of up to $2,000, up to 180 days in jail, or both. Penalties for other hazing offenses vary according to the severity of the injury, and range from $500 to $10,000 in fines and up to two years confinement.

12. Hazing •Any type of physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, striking, branding, electric shocking, placing of a harmful substance on the body, or similar activity •Any type of physical activity, such as sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, calisthenics, or other activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student •Any activity involving consumption of a food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug, or other substance that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk or harm or which adversely affects the mental or physical health of the student •Any activity that intimidates or threatens the student with ostracism, that subjects the student to extreme mental stress, shame, or humiliation, that adversely affects the mental health or dignity of the student or discourages the student from entering or remaining registered in an educational institution, or that may reasonably be expected to cause a student to leave the organization or the institution rather than submit to acts described in the section •Any activity that induces, causes, or requires the student to perform a duty or task that involves a violation of the Penal Code.

13. Reporting Hazing Reporting hazing is the law: •According to law, a person can commit a hazing offense not only by engaging in a hazing activity but also by soliciting, directing, encouraging, aiding, or attempting to aid another in hazing; by intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly allowing hazing to occur; or by failing to report in writing to the: Office of Student Affairs firsthand knowledge that a hazing incident is planned or has occurred. The fact that a person consented to or acquiesced in a hazing activity is not a defense to prosecution for hazing under the law.

14. State Law •Under state law, individuals or organizations engaging in hazing could be subject to fines and charged with a criminal offense. •According to the statute, a person commits a hazing offense: •By engaging in hazing •By soliciting, directing, encouraging, aiding, or attempting to aid another in hazing •By intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly allowing hazing to occur •By failing to report in writing to the Office of Student Affairs firsthand knowledge that a specific hazing incident is planned or has occurred. •Can you agree or consent to hazing? Is it the new member’s choice? –The fact that a person consented to or acquiesced in a hazing activity is not a defense under the hazing law.

15. Common Barriers to Changing a Hazing Culture In order to make meaningful change, it is important to identify the key barriers to change and work on dismantling these. Common barriers to eliminating hazing include: •Denial of the problem •Dismissing hazing as harmless •Silence •Fear •Insufficient support for victims of hazing •Cultural norms that promote hazing as acceptable behavior Information adapted from www.stophazing.org

16. FACTS* • National statistics indicate: • 74% of varsity athletes reported being hazed. • 73% of fraternity/sorority members reported being hazed. • 64% of club sports members reported being hazed. • 56% of performing arts members reported being hazed. • 28% of academic organization members reported being hazed. • 20% of honor society members reported being hazed. • 25% of students believed an advisor or coach knew of hazing. • 47% of students arrive at college having experienced at least one hazing incident. • * http://www.usnews.com/blogs/paper-trail/2008/3/12/study-says-hazing-in-college-is-still-common.html

17. Help others to: •Notice hazing. •Interpret hazing as a problem. •Recognize a responsibility to change it. •Acquire the skills needed to take action. •Take action! •Realize that the most effective way to educate about hazing is to begin by drawing attention to hazing and helping others interpret hazing as a problem. •Publicize hazing policies to your membership. •Analyze organizational events for policy compliance and safety. •Share with members the consequences of hazing. Elizabeth J. Allan, www.stophazing.org

18. Transforming our Practices •Don’t divide your membership into categories •Review planned activities with a trusted advisor •Tell people outside your group what you will be doing and where •Have retreats and activities that don’t divide or poke fun

19. When You Suspect Hazing •When you suspect a friend has been hazed what do you do? •What actions should you take? •Who do you tell? •Are you scared? •Do you care?

20. Alcohol and Drugs

21. Drunk people often say and do stupid things. Sober people also say and do stupid things, but drunk people say and do more stupid things and are too drunk to be aware of how stupid they appear and sound. Bottom Line: Most students do not get wasted every weekend. The Naked Roommate

22. So What’s the Big Deal? • Over 1,400 students ages 19-24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries including motor vehicle crashes. • More than 70,000 students ages 18-24 are victims of a sexual assault or date rape in which alcohol is involved. • About 25% of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind and doing poorly on exams. • More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or using drugs.2.1 million students between the ages of 18-24 drove under the influence of alcohol last year. • NIAAA Reports, What Peer Educators and Resident Advisors • Need to Know About College Drinking

23. High Risk Drinking /High-risk college student drinking includes the following: •Underage Drinking •Drinking and Driving or other activities where the use of alcohol is dangerous •Drinking when health conditions or medications make use dangerous •Binge Drinking: 5 drinks for males or 4 drinks for females

24. Student Code of Conduct and Drug Use: It is Illegal to: •use, •manufacture, •possession, •sale, •distribution •substances defined and regulated under Chapters 481, 484, and 485 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, •may result in suspension from Lamar for a specified period of time; and/or suspension of rights and privileges;

25. New Trends on Drugs •More people ages 12 and older are trying pain relievers (without prescription) than any other drug. –Usually obtained free by friend or relative •First time marijuana users are going down from 3 million in 2000 to 2 million in 2006. •Increase in first time users for prescription-type stimulants and ecstasy. •More people are entering rehab with addictions of marijuana, methamphetamine, and other opiates. Center for Substance Abuse Research

26. What Do We Do??? •Identify the Problem •Take Action •Be Persistent •Don’t Enable •Take Care of Yourself

27. Signs of a Problem… •Failure to fulfill class work, miss work, late for class •Sudden changes in attitude or behavior •Use of drug culture jargon •Secretive behavior, paranoia •Poor hygiene •Financial problems •Changes in weight •Dilated pupils •Slurred speech •Trouble making eye contact •Vomiting •Unconsciousness

28. Travel

29. Scope of Policy : • The Lamar University Student Travel Policy governs any group/organization travel as part of a trip planned and/or funded by Lamar University and is more than 25 miles away from campus. • Student travel incorporates any travel planned or sponsored by the student organization or its members as part of the organization’s activities. • Please see the LAMAR UNIVERSITY STUDENT TRAVEL PROCEDURES in Orgsync

30. Student Travel Travel Authorization Request List of Student Participants Emergency Contacts and Activity/Event Leaders Release and Indemnification Agreement Itinerary and emergency contact information taken on trip for all participants

31. FACTS* • National statistics indicate: • Driver inattention, cell phone usage and fatigue are contributing factors in over 46% of college student accidents. • People aged 16 – 24 were involved in 28% of all alcohol related traffic accidents (this same age group makes up 14% of the U.S. population). • In 2006, 13,470 people died in crashes involving someone with a blood alcohol level of .08 or above. • *adapted form UT Arlington risk management program

32. Seat belts are required for ALL the occupants! • Alcohol and other illegal substances and weapons are strictly prohibited. • Make sure the driver/s are in possession of a valid Drivers License. • It is recommended to always have a more than one driver on each trip. For trips that are over 1.5 hours long, it is required to have a minimum of two drivers. • Drivers must rotate every three (3) hours, and no more than eight (8) hours should be driven in any one day.

33. Driving between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. is not allowed without prior approval. • Do not text or use the phone while operating the vehicle. If you need to use the phone, use a hands-free device but never attempt to text message while driving. • Obey the posted speed limits at all times to ensure safety and always plan ahead for a long trip.

34. On & Off Campus Behavior

35. What to Consider •Who do I Represent? –Myself –My family –My organization –My school

36. Whether you are on or off campus, keep in mind that you are a representative of your student organization as well as a representative of Lamar University. Negative actions like fighting, vandalism, arrests will invariably reflect poorly on your record and possibly tarnish the reputation of your organization, as well as the University.

37. YOU MUST! • Abide by all University policies. • Act responsibly and respectfully. • Remember that your organization can place sanctions on you in cases where behavior has become an issue.

38. Sexual Harassment & Assault

39. Sexual assault is any unwanted, non-consensual sexual contact against an individual by another. • Sexual misconduct includes unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature directed towards another individual that does not rise to the level of sexual harassment but is unprofessional and inappropriate for the workplace or classroom. • Sexual harassment includes unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, verbal or physical conduct of a physical nature when: • Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment or student status; • Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for evaluation in making personnel or academic decisions affecting that individual; • Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s performance as an employee or student or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

40. Lamar University is committed to creating and maintaining an educational environment in which all persons who participate in University programs and activities can work together in an atmosphere free of sexual and relationship violence. Sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking offenses, regardless of the motive or the manner in which they are executed, are criminal behaviors and produce an environment counter to the mission and goals of the University. • Students can face expulsion from the University in sexual assault and harassment cases. In the State of Texas, sexual assault is considered a felony offense, and the consequences, more often then not, can lead to incarceration for anyone found guilty. • Persons involved in a sexual assault or sexual harassment case can face University sanctions as well as criminal or civil penalties.

41. •Harassment: a person commits an offense if, with intent to harass, annoy, alarm, abuse, torment, or embarrass another, he: (1)initiates communication by telephone, in writing, or by electronic communication and in the course of the communication makes a comment, request, suggestion, or proposal that is obscene; (2)threatens, by telephone, in writing, or by electronic communication, in a manner reasonably likely to alarm the person receiving the threat, to inflict bodily injury on the person or to commit a felony against the person, a member of his family or household, or his property; (3)conveys, in a manner reasonably likely to alarm the person receiving the report, a false report, which is known by the conveyor to be false, that another person has suffered death or serious bodily injury; (4)causes the telephone of another to ring repeatedly or makes repeated telephone communications anonymously or in a manner reasonably likely to harass, annoy, alarm, abuse, torment, embarrass, or offend another; (5)makes a telephone call and intentionally fails to hang up or disengage the connection; (6)knowingly permits a telephone under the person's control to be used by another to commit an offense under this section; or (7)sends repeated electronic communications in a manner reasonably likely to harass, annoy, alarm, abuse, torment, embarrass, or offend another.

42. •Stalking: a person commits an offense if the person, on more than one occasion and pursuant to the same scheme or course of conduct that is directed specifically at another person, knowingly engages in conduct, including following the other person, that: (1)the actor knows or reasonably believes the other person will regard as threatening: (A)bodily injury or death for the other person; (B)bodily injury or death for a member of the other person's family or household; or (C)that an offense will be committed against the other person's property;

43. Why It Occurs Stalking: •Usually occurs by known person •Usually by current or former partner •Might start as annoying, can escalate. •Threats should be taken seriously. •4 out of 5 stalking victims are women. •Unwanted phone calls, texts, emails, spying

44. Sexual Assault: •Occurs most commonly among women in late adolescence and early adulthood •Can occur to both men and women •Is about power, control.. Usually not sex •May involve the use of alcohol •Focus on their own wants and needs, disregarding and disrespecting the wants and needs of their victims. •Only 6% reported to police

45. What Is Being Reported •Sexual Assault: Two to three each year. •Stalking: Two to three each year. •Harassment: Twenty five to fifty each year.

46. What To Do •Develop paper trail •Network of support •Report to the Police, protects victim •Seek professional counseling •Launch campus resources/ advocates (Judicial Affairs, Counseling)-no contact order •Protective/ Restraining Order

47. Firearms/Weapons

48. Weapons State law prohibits the possession of any explosive, firearm, imitation firearm, ammunition or hazardous chemicals on University property.

49. Fire Safety

50. In Event of a Fire •Fire alarm means evacuate building. •Help others if necessary. •Call in the exact location of the fire. HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY