Service Learning Risk Management – Process and Roles December 13, 2006 Presented by: Season Eckardt, CSU Chancellor’s Office Jeannie Kim-Han, CSU Fullerton

Background  In fall 2002, the CSU Chancellor’s Office released Best Practices for Managing Risk in Service Learning.  The manual is available online at and scroll down to the bottom right hand and click onto “Risk Management” and then select the link “Managing Risk in Service Learning.” Risk in Service Learning

FORMS - Checklist for Community-Based Organization Visit  Purpose –Serves as the main source of information for the Service-learning Agreement –Covers the nature of the service experience, logistics, and risk identification  Who –Site visit is usually conducted by service-learning staff. Faculty may also be present.

FORMS - Service Learning Agreement  Purpose –A formal agreement between university and community organization and specifies responsibilities and addresses which entity will provide workers’ compensation and liability coverage.  This is a negotiable document but the changes require approval.  Campus Example: CSU Monterey Bay has agreed that any new partners will have a SL agreement in place prior to placing students and the campus is working on finalizing agreements with active partners over a two-year period.  Who –Staff from service-learning office, risk management, and contracts and procurement plus involvement from the community partner.

FORMS – Student Learning Plan Purpose –A teaching and risk management tool – Articulates the connection between their service assignment and the curriculum –Outlines possible risks associated with service assignment  Who –Staff from service-learning office and faculty

Roles – Staff from Service-Learning Office  Policy & Procedure Development –Decide in collaboration with other parties the policy and procedures of service learning risk management.  Implementation –Conduct site visits and complete Checklist for Community- Based Organization Visit –Develop student orientation –Train faculty and community organizations on the policy and procedures. –Communicate with students about the RM forms –Serve as a point of contact with staff from community organizations in most cases

Roles – Risk Manager  Policy & Procedure Development –Decide in collaboration with other parties the policy and procedures of service learning risk management.  Implementation –Help SL staff assess risk and brainstorm ways to reduce risk if necessary. –Review and discuss requested modifications under the sections for the SL Agreement that are considered to be non-changeable language.

Roles – Contracts Officer  Policy & Procedure Development: –Decide in collaboration with other parties the policy and procedures of service learning risk management. For example, jointly approve the service-learning agreement form with other key players. –Examine ways to streamline the contract process, especially when you have multiple agreements for different types of experiences.

Roles – Contracts Officer  Implementation –Determine if existing contracts (service-learning agreements) are in place with community organizations. If so, contracts officer and service-learning director meet to discuss how to amend the agreement. –Review and discuss requested modifications under the sections for the SL Agreement that are considered to be non-changeable language. –Follow-up with community organizations on the status of signing the agreements (this is happening at only a few campuses). –Examine ways to streamline the contract process, especially when you have multiple agreements for different types of experiences. –Sign off on service-learning agreements unless you designate service- learning director or risk manager to do so.

Roles – Contracts Officer  Implementation –Sign off on service-learning agreements unless you designate service-learning director or risk manager to do so. How many have done this?  File Retention: –Keep a copy of the signed agreements. Send copies of signed agreements to service-learning office and community partners.

Roles of Faculty and Community Partners  Role of Service-Learning Faculty  Create Student Learning Plan  Develop student orientation  Role of Staff from Community-Based Organization  Provide some of the student orientation  Communicate with university staff about the connection of the experience to the curriculum, logistical information, and possible risks  Document student hours

Summary/Questions  This effort requires joint responsibility of everyone.  Not all service-learning courses are supported by the service-learning office.  There may be multiple types of experiential opportunities at one site (service learning, internship) – How is this handled?  Not all sites have active agreements. Agreements take time to process and staff coordination.

Contact Information  Season Eckardt –  Jeannie Kim-Han –