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My understanding is that if it is
service-learning (e.g. a part of an academic class)
then it would be treated no differently than
if a student was injured on a field trip,
visiting a lab, etc. For that reason, the
location where the learning takes place
(classroom at Boise State, a lab, a
nonprofit) wouldn't be important.
This, at least, is how things have been
viewed in the K-12 world.
Of ocurse if it is community service (not a
part of a class) then it would
not hold. At that point it would probably
fall into all those co-curricular
activities like football, the newspaper,
etc. Are student reporters only allowed
to go to places where they have liability
insurance? Or if they are writing about
local eateries, must they fist make sure
that they all have liability insurance?
I am confident that I have read items
related to the first point that have
been written by attorneys - I believe for
CNS.
The key issue is that CS/SL should probably
not need separate rules,
but simply need to find their place in the
standard rules at the institution.
For example, if an Art prof takes her
students to visit an art museum, must
she first determine that they have liability
insurance?
good luck
-will
William Morgan
Executive Director, Midwest Political Science
Association
Co-Director, Center for
Participation and Citizenship
210 Woodburn
Hall
Bloomington, IN 47405
Tel: 812-856-4677
Fax:
812-856-7137
http://serve.indiana.edu/
http://www.mwpsa.org/
I am struggling with a risk management "absolute" that I inherited
when arriving at Boise State University to direct their Service-Learning
Program, and would appreciate hearing your thoughts and learning about your
liability policies.
ABSOLUTE:
All community partners must have liability insurance to cover
student service-learners. (FYI: see our carefully crafted risk
management policy attached).
MY CONCERNS:
1. Enforcing this policy excludes many non-profits, such as
unincorporated start-ups, neighborhood associations, and small outreach
groups.
2. Enforcing this policy is very cumbersome and time consuming,
both for the agency and for the SL staff.
3. However, without this policy, uninsured students may not be
protected if they are injured while serving.
4. If an injured student feels the university is responsible or
negligent, the student would have the right to make a liability claim against
the university.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this. I will send a
summary of your comments to the listserv.
Thank you!
Kara
Kara Hartmann
Service-Learning Coordinator
Boise State
University
1910 University Drive, A-114
Boise, ID 83725-1375
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