Workshop for LawSchool Associate Deans, Deans of Students, and Senior Administrators on

“Managing Law Schools in a Complex Legal Environment:

Fundamentals of Risk Management and Legal Compliance”

Tampa, Florida

June 15–16, 2007

Friday, June 15, 2007

7:30 a.m.:Registration and continental breakfast

8:30 a.m.:Welcome and workshop overview

8:45 a.m.:“Campus Safety and Security” by ProfessorPeterF.Lake, Chief Dan Barto, and Professor Paul Lund (tentative commitment)

The recent tragedy at Virginia Tech has led institutions of higher education to reevaluate their protocols, processes, and philosophies regarding campus safety and security. In this session with an expert on campus violence, an experienced campus security director, and a professor who served as Associate Dean at Appalachian School of Law during the 2002 shootings at that institution, this panel will address a variety of issues related to campus safety and security, including best practices in campus security, campus communication systems, working with local law enforcement, developing and testing a crisis management plan (including a protocol to follow in case a death occurs on campus), the intersection between campus security and privacy laws, and issues associated with individuals and institutions recovering from incidents of campus violence.

11:15 a.m.:“Riskscapes: An Overview” by ProfessorPeterF.Lake

For institutions of higher education, risks are no longer confined to the physical campus boundaries. Instead of thinking about risks in terms of landscapes, law-school administrators must think in terms of riskscapes, which involves analyzing places on and off campus, and in both the real and virtual worlds, where risks are foreseeable. In this session, ProfessorLake will provide an overview of campus risk-management concepts and will emphasize the importance of collaborative and environmental approaches to risk management. In particular, he will address how collaborative risk-management teams might be used effectively in a law-school environment. He also will discuss the Facilitator Model and how that model relates to risk management.

12:15 p.m.:Networking Lunch

1:00 p.m.:“Managing the Risks of Travel and Study Abroad”

by Professor Tim Kaye

Many law schools sponsor study-abroad programs, and others also offer students the opportunity to travel abroad in school-sponsored activities, such as international moot court competitions. Many faculty also travel abroad in connection with their teaching, research, and service activities. This presentation, by a risk-management and higher-education expert who has taught at law schools in both the United States and Europe, will focus on how to anticipate and manage the problematic aspects of study and travel abroad.

2:30 p.m.:“Regulatory Alphabet” by Patrick Whitehead, Esq.

Legal compliance is becoming an increasingly important part of managing a law school. In this presentation, the General Counsel for a university will provide an overview of key federal regulations with which universities must comply, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Clery Act, the Drug-FreeSchools and Campuses Act, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Family Medical Leave Act, and OSHA regulations. Participants will leave with ideas about how to manage compliance with a wide variety of regulations and how to develop a campus compliance calendar. Participants also will be introduced to legal compliance resources, such as The Catholic University’s General Counsel website.

4:00 p.m.:“Cyberspace Challenges: Managing Students and Employees in a Virtual World” by Dean Darby Dickerson

Our students and employees spend considerable time in a virtual world. The Milliennials, a group that includes most traditional-aged law students today, are digital natives. They have been raised with the Internet and do most everything on it — study, shop, entertain, and socialize. Facebook, Myspace, blogs, and other online networks are part of the virtual world in which they spend significant time. Employees also use cyber-resources both inside and outside of the workplace. Student and employee use of cyber-resources raises significant legal and policy issues that impact campus risk-management. Dean Dickerson will identify various risks associated with students and employees in cyberspace, share information about conduct and discipline issues connected with online behavior, touch on First Amendment and privacy concerns, and discuss ideas for education and policy development.

5:15 p.m.:Closing remarks

Saturday, June 16, 2007

8:30 a.m.:Continental breakfast

9:00 a.m.“Risks and the Admissions Process” by Sheila Trice Bell, Esq. and Dean Darby Dickerson

Universities are beginning to focus on risks associated with their admissions process, and some law schools also are starting to evaluate their processes with an eye toward effective risk management. This session will address a variety of risk topics related to the admissions process, including

  • the pro’s and con’s of conducting background checks;
  • helping faculty admissions committees and admissions professionals to understand and effectively plan for risks;
  • legal compliance issues, including compliance with federal statutes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and recent Supreme Court precedent; and
  • the relationship between students’ prior conduct and future bar admissions.

10:30 a.m.“Student Organizations and Activities” by Sheila Trice Bell, Esq. and Assistant Dean Michael Farley

Student organizations often plan events without carefully considering the associated risks, from risks associated with alcohol to risks associated with different types of transportation. In this session, an experienced higher-education consultant and attorney, and an experienced dean of students, will explore how to work effectively with student organizations and faculty advisors to manage risks effectively. Among other things, they will focus on using risk-management plans, educating and training student leaders and faculty advisors, and developing effective waivers and policies.

11:45 a.m.“Millennials in LawSchool: Alcohol, Drug Use, and Other Challenges” by ProfessorPeterF.Lake

A significant percentage of law students are Millennials. In this luncheon presentation, ProfessorLake will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with working with Millennials both inside and outside of the classroom environment. He also will discuss this generation’s propensities with regard to alcohol and other drug use.

1:15 p.m.“Managing Risks Associated with Off-Campus Academic Programs” by Associate Dean Bill Adams and Deborah C. Brown, Esq.

All law schools offer off-campus academic programs, including clinics and externships, for their students. This session, led by an Associate Dean of International, Online and Graduate Programs and a law-school Associate Vice President for Legal Affairs, will offer information about how to identify, evaluate, and manage risks associated with these programs, while enhancing, not detracting from, the students’ educational experience. Among other topics, they will discuss how to educate students about risks, the importance of regular site visits, and how to work with clinic and internship supervisors to minimize and manage risks associated with the type of work, office location, etc.

3:00 p.m.Closing remarks