New Texas Law Reportedly Requires Risk Management Course

[exlurker]

A Lubbock news source reports (June 22, 2008) on a recently-enacted Texas law. I thought it might be worth mentioning as a "heads up" for chapters, advisers, and appropriate national and regional fraternity / sorority officers and volunteers. Since I'm not a lawyer or a Texan, I won't speculate or try to advise on the "meaning" of the law. GLOs may wish to get advice from their own sources:

http://lubbockonline.com/stories/062...93762149.shtml

Brief excerpt from much longer article:

. . . Gov. Rick Perry signed into law House Bill 2639, which will require fraternities, sororities, faculty advisers and other college or university officials involved in student activities to attend an annual risk management course at the start of each academic year.

The goal, said the bill's main author, Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, is to make sure that everyone on campus knows there are some guidelines to follow before planning fraternity activities such as parties and trips, and - just as important - to discourage hazing, boozing and other illegal activities. . . .

[CBU Jeff]

If all of there groups have to attend this session, who will be leading it??

[EE-BO]

Rick Perry signs yet another stupid and meaningless piece of legislation.

Our fraternity requires all chapters have a Risk Management advisor- and that advisor must be certified in a process that includes training. The Risk Manager must then oversee Risk Management trainings with the chapter at least annually. These trainings can include representatives of law enforcement or the fire department.

I would be curious to hear if other fraternities have similar requirements. I am glad you posted this exlurker since it is a good chance to find out if other GLOs have already gone down this path- and I expect most have.

Risk Management is important- and our insurance needs and our desire to protect our members drives responsible policies. This new law is stupid because it singles out and implicitly vilifies fraternities and sororities while, at least in the case of Beta, not really changing anything about how things are done.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Risk management is something all orgs and most schools take seriously. And to answer CBU's question, I would think the Texas department of public safety.

[SWTXBelle]

Are they going to require sports teams, bands, and other social groups on campus to take the course? Stories I've heard about A & M Corps and Band hazing make most fraternities look like Girl Scout troops.

[carnation]

OMG, the Corps at A&M. One year, they thought that the funniest thing ever was to crawl around under the table and set each others' napkins on fire. That's the kind of mindset we're talking about.

[DoubleTDG]

I am pretty sure Texas Tech already has this in place (since the OP mentioned Lubbock). If I remember correctly the Risk Management Chair, Panhellenic Chair, and the President are required to attend and the rest of the chapter members are welcome to attend.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

Rick Perry signs yet another stupid and meaningless piece of legislation.

Agreed.

Our fraternity requires all chapters have a Risk Management advisor- and that advisor must be certified in a process that includes training. The Risk Manager must then oversee Risk Management trainings with the chapter at least annually. These trainings can include representatives of law enforcement or the fire department.

I would be curious to hear if other fraternities have similar requirements. I am glad you posted this exlurker since it is a good chance to find out if other GLOs have already gone down this path- and I expect most have.

Risk Management is important- and our insurance needs and our desire to protect our members drives responsible policies. This new law is stupid because it singles out and implicitly vilifies fraternities and sororities while, at least in the case of Beta, not really changing anything about how things are done.

My organization has a "new member workshop" in the weeks following pledging, and one of the modules involves risk management. Actives are also required to get risk management certification each semester.

My university already hosts a risk management workshop once a semester (hosted by Greek Life). Plus, several organizations host risk management-type workshops throughout the year. So essentially, an average active member is reminded of risk management at least 4 times a year.

Obviously, most national organizations realize the importance of RM. I don't see a point in making it law, either.


hijack
Elizabeth Massengale (in the article) was my old Greek Life advisor!
/hijack

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Are they going to require sports teams, bands, and other social groups on campus to take the course? Stories I've heard about A & M Corps and Band hazing make most fraternities look like Girl Scout troops.

Of course not. It's easier to single out GLOs, since we're the only ones causing the REAL problems

[jon1856]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Are they going to require sports teams, bands, and other social groups on campus to take the course? Stories I've heard about A & M Corps and Band hazing make most fraternities look like Girl Scout troops.

This is just part of Bill:
"(b) This section applies only to a student organization that is registered at a postsecondary educational institution and that is composed mostly of students enrolled at the institution. Notwithstanding Section 1.001(a), this section applies to each postsecondary educational institution at which is registered one or more student organizations."....

"The selection of student organizations or types of student organizations under the policy must be based on the institution's determination that those organizations or types of organizations could particularly benefit from risk management guidance. Each advisor who has not previously attended a program under this section and each person serving in a designated officer position of a student organization that is required to have representatives attend a program under this section shall attend the program. An institution may allow an advisor, other than a faculty or staff member of the institution, to satisfy the attendance requirements prescribed by this subsection through completion of an appropriate computer-based risk assessment program."

[Just interested]

A little sidebar: Rick Perry is an Aggie and I believe was in the Corp.

[srmom]

I would be curious to hear if other fraternities have similar requirements. I am glad you posted this exlurker since it is a good chance to find out if other GLOs have already gone down this path- and I expect most have.

At the parent meeting we went to, the alumni advisor said that the chapter holds a meeting where all the boys must be present where they go over the risk management issues. We also had to sign, along with our son, a multi-page rules/regulations thing that covered the national rules and consequences.

My son said that an alumni lawyer came and spoke to his pledge class about hazing and what constitutes it, underage drinking and its implications, and risk management type things like what is safe at a party and what is not (using the kid who broke his neck at UT years ago as an example, etc.).

So, I think they are covering it pretty well.

[tx427]

I know that at UT at the beginning of your pledge semester you are required to attend GReek 101 if you are panhellenic. It is basically a risk management program that covers many different topics particularly alcohol, and sexual harrassment.

[keeshdawg]

i went on behalf of my group......it was boring, but informative.....They made us inform the rest of our group, fill out roster memberships, and turn in a copy of our bylaws....I believe UT had a extremely high success rate in all the GLOs doing their part....that and the fact that it became a law, so there were repercussions such as bars on registering...etc