The Standards of Good Practice Institute

“Beyond the Basics of Health, Safety and Security”

Norris Center, Northwestern University

June 24, 2011

INSTITUTE SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 23
6-8pm

Welcome Reception (hosted by Northwestern University Study Abroad Office) and Institute Check-In: for all participants, John Evans Alumni Center, (on the campus of Northwestern University, 1800 Sheridan Road)

 

Friday, June 24

8:00am

Institute Check-In opens: Louis lobby area, second floor, Norris Center. Click here for a floor plan of the Norris Center. Visit this link to view the Northwestern University Evanston campus map.

 

8:30 - 9am

 

Continental Breakfast and Welcome

Mary Dwyer (President and CEO, IES Abroad; Chair, Forum Board of Directors; Natalie Mello, Worcester Polytechnic University; Institute Co-Chair; Bill Frederick, Lodestone Safety; Institute Co-Chair)

 
9-10:30am

 

Chile Earthquake: Effective Collaboration During a Disaster Response

Ines DeRomana (University of California System), Karen Mead (University of California System), Sam Logan (iJET Intelligent Risk Systems)

Using the information and observations obtained during the Chile earthquake crisis, the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) conducted an analysis to extract lessons learned during each of the earthquake phases. Three key members of the response team will present outcomes and insights from this analysis, including the roles of technology, social networking, expertise, institutional capabilities, management skills, and practical experience for optimum results, all of which would not be possible without proper collaboration. UCEAP will discuss how coordination during the earthquake response helped allocate appropriate resources effectively, facilitated communication, reduced duplication of efforts and minimized confusion. Anticipated interaction with attendees will focus on strategies to enhance institutional response in ways that serve students, their parents, and university stakeholders.

 

Developing an Institutional Travel Warning Policy: "Tripwires" and Other Challenges

William Anthony (Northwestern University), Brian Hanson (Northwestern University), Ben Levy (Ramapo College of New Jersey), Julie Friend (Michigan State University)

The aim of the session is to provide leaders from U.S. colleges and universities with praxis-based guidelines for developing or reviewing an institutional DOS Travel Warning policy. The session will focus on the issues of trip wires for travel warnings and the development of travel warning policies and procedures from the large and small institutional perspectives. These will be followed by 30-minute round-table discussions involving specific case studies, moderated by expert facilitators from relevant agencies. A moderator will be present to lead a subsequent large-group discussion, to pose questions to the panelists, and to wrap up the session. 

Session materials: Ben Levy: Presentation text, Presenation powerpoint

Julie Friend: Resources on Travel Warnings

Brian Hanson: BTH Travel Warning Presentation for Tripwires Session

 

Student Judicial Screening: A Successful Model of Partnership

Natalie Mello (Worcester Polytechnic University), Philip Clay (Worcester Polytechnic University)

Best practice dictates that students’ judicial records be screened before being allowed to apply or participate in an off-campus program. The Global Perspective Program and The Office of Student Life at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have developed a very successful partnership that screens all student applicants. This screening process involves different levels of response based upon student judicial records and an educational approach with working with faculty leaders and student participants in the process. This session will provide participants an opportunity to rate student behaviors, practice a judicial interview, and discuss how this might be adapted for use in their own programs.

 

10:45am-12:15pm

 

Health & Safety Crisis Management: Grounding the ‘Jetfighter’ Parent

Arlene Snyder (Arcadia University), Julie Friend (Michigan State University), Lisa Sapolis (Trinity College), Carol Foley (HTH Worldwide)

This session will look at challenges faced by study abroad professionals in communicating with parents in health and safety emergencies. The session leaders will present specific incidents in which their institution's good practices in emergency planning and crisis communications were tested to their limits, and where the session leaders were left with questions about what they could do to enhance their response to future incidents. One aspect to be considered is the goal of the institution to foster independence and personal responsibility in an emerging adult while balancing institutional liability. Session leaders will present a take-home form for customization about who communicates with whom in situations where a student isin a physical or mental health crisis, or is involved in a natural disaster or security incident. Breakout groups will examine specific case studies, and will be given examples to take back to their organization or institution for a self-audit of good practice.  Additional session materials include: Crisis Communication Checklist

 

Strategies for Managing Mental Health Issues in Education Abroad

Bill Frederick (Lodestone Safety), Robin Karpf (The Lawrenceville School), Charlie Morse (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

The Forum’s pilot incident database indicated that mental health events are some of the most frequently reported safety incidents in education abroad. This session will look at the spectrum of approaches to institutional responsibility, student screening, psychotropic medications, breakthrough and emerging disorder responses and overseas resources. 

 

Creation, Evolution and Structure of University Travel Security Positions

Brent Barker (University of Washington), Joseph Levy (Harvard University), Erin Wolf (University of Texas at Austin)

The increased number of university students traveling abroad and the corresponding increase in overseas student emergencies has resulted in the development of policies and procedures to support overseas travel and the creation of dedicated full time positions to oversee this development and implementation of those policies and procedures. Harvard University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Washington have created full time positions to address the safety of student travel. These positions are responsible for the creation and implementation of policies and procedures related to students traveling abroad and the crisis management of overseas emergencies. Each university’s presentations will discuss the creation of their position, their development of procedures for program safety, preparations of students for overseas travel, and procedures to manage overseas emergencies. Each presentation will include discussion of the use of these policies in the handling of emergencies in the last year.

 

2-3:30pm

 

The Adolescent Brain and Education Abroad: Risky Business?

Felix Wang (James Madison University), Renee Staton (James Madison University)

The adolescent brain is a work in progress. Emerging research on mirror neurons and neuropsychological development has implications for educating students regarding risk and opportunity in education abroad. This session will begin with a brief overview of recent neuropsychological and related research and include suggestions for enhancing emotional intelligence as it relates to participation in education abroad. Participants will then be invited to explore the research and guidelines associated with emotional intelligence and suggest additional considerations for 1) preparing students to study abroad and 2) intervening during study abroad. Handouts and references will be provided.

 

Dealing with the Death of a Student Abroad

Deb Ajango, Adam Rubin (CIEE), John Tansey (Dartmouth College), Annagene Yucas (CAPA International Education)

Receiving the call that someone has been critically or fatally injured on one of our programs is something that we all dread. Even though most of us will never receive that call, we must be both mentally and organizationally prepared in the event that it comes. Through personal experience of several fatal incidents both in the field and in management response, the presenters will provide valuable lessons from these tragic events that you can apply immediately, whatever the size of the program. This session shares what we wished we knew before and soon found out afterwards, in the hope that participants will be better prepared to achieve the best possible outcomes from such a tragic event.

 

Everything You Ever Wanted to Ask About Insurance

Bill Frederick (Lodestone Safety), Sam Daume (Fred C. Church Insurance), Kim Nimmo (United Educators), Bonney Hebert (Academic Risk Resources & Insurance, LLC)

What makes for a smart insurance strategy? How much is enough? What is really excluded? Can we earn discounts by investing in safety? Should I be buying personal liability insurance? What about travel warnings? A brief lead in scenario will “prime the pump” as we explore the complexities of insurance in education abroad with our panel of experts. 

 

3:45-5:15pm

 

Appropriate Preparation: How to Address Critical Issues Before the Education Abroad Experience

Philip Clay (Worcester Polytechnic Institute), Catherine Whitcomb (IES Abroad), Matthew Rader (IES Abroad), Jennifer Ison (IES Abroad)

Risk-taking is an inherent part of the process of study abroad. Students develop deeper understanding of the cultures in which they live by taking reasonable risks every day. Sometimes, however, the risks students choose to take while abroad can be dangerous to the safety of the students themselves and those around them, and/or inappropriate within the cultural context. Encouraging appropriate risk-taking and addressing inappropriate risk-taking is a challenging balance. The panelists will speak about IES practices to encourage appropriate risk-taking as they have been utilized in actual cases abroad,  and answer participant questions in a question-and-answer session at the end of the presentation.

 

Beyond the Basics of Sexual Assault Education and Prevention Overseas

Stephen Ferst (The Education Abroad Network), Charles Morse (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

Using an excerpt from a training video on sexual assault prevention, discussions from a sexual assault counselor and Domestic Violence Response Team members, participants will explore ways in which they can work toward ensuring greater safety for students on overseas program. Participants will also explore the creation of a rape crisis manual to be used in response to incidents overseas. The panel will address topics with a number of statistics about assaults in the U.S. at college and what we can infer about being overseas. In addition, session will explore the idea that the likely perpetrators are people on the program or connected in some way to it and what ways we can work to ensure the elimination of sexual violence abroad. The session leaders will explore with participants other methods they have developed or can develop to educate students. Each participant will leave with a basic understanding of the needs of students, the issues surrounding sexual assault prevention and response, and a plan of action for creating an appropriate pre-education program and post-event response plan.

 

Hot Topics: A Moderated Panel of Attorneys

Stacey Tsantir (University of Minnesota), Donald Amundson (University of Minnesota), Brian Boardman (Northwestern University) Frances Mock (Attorney--Frances Mock)

This session will be an opportunity for Standards Institute attendees to dialogue directly with lawyers regarding legal and liability concerns. Possible hot topics include health & evacuation insurance, State Department travel warning policy, health forms, meeting ADA requirements, and good practices surrounding emergency planning and crisis response. Participants will actively participate by posing questions to the panel and also will be invited to respond to questions asked by the moderator and panel members. It will be a moderated discussion rather than a traditional panel presentation. The newly revised Standard 8, “Health, Safety and Risk Management” will be the frame for the discussion with a goal of enhancing the knowledge and skills required to implement the standards in partnership with the legal professionals within their own organizations.