Risk Management in University Housing

The Office of UWA Housing is aware of the liability factors involved in running an on campus residence hall system. For this reason, the Housing Office has developed a risk management plan to reduce liability within the residence halls. This plan involves staff training, resident education, and periodic building inspections.

Risk of liability is most often present when staff members do not act properly in given situations. For this reason, the Housing Office places a major emphasis on staff development, especially for resident assistants. Every fall before the residence halls open, both new and returning resident assistants are reminded of safety and security policies. Specifically, RA and DAs are instructed on proper control of pass keys, safety and emergency procedures, and the importance of not violating students' rights, especially in the areas of privacy and due process.

A major part of the risk management plan for the Housing Office is resident education. At Check In each fall, all residents are issued a Residential Life Guide and are instructed that they are required to read the rules and policies of the residence halls. This publication (available at the Central Housing Office) is also issued to new residents who move in spring or summer semester. Each resident signs a form verifying that he/she has received the Residential Life Guide. This “Residential Life Guide Issued” Form is kept on file in the Housing Office.

All residence hall directors meet with their residents near the beginning of the school year to highlight crucial points in the rules and policies. In addition to policies and procedures, students are informed about safety concerns through educational programs in the residence halls. In the past, programs have included information on substance abuse, aids awareness, and crime prevention.

Another area of risk within the residence halls is the risk of injury. For this reason, resident assistants make periodic checks for damages and unsafe environments within their residence hall. Hall directors and the Director of Housing also make periodic inspections of the building facilities to insure that safety is maintained. When unsafe conditions are found, a Maintenance Request is sent to the Physical Plant, and a follow up inspection is made to insure that timely repairs have taken place.


INJURED/SICK STUDENT

In the case of a seriously injured or sick resident, the Housing staff member should contact the Campus Police dispatcher at extension 3601 or directly at 652-3601. During regular office hours (Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.), the staff member should call the Campus Police at extension 3682 or directly at 652-3682. Housing staff members should identify themselves to the dispatcher as a member of the Housing staff and give a quick description of the illness or injury. Staff members should be specific of their location when requesting a campus police officer to come to the residence halls. The campus police officer will determine whether an ambulance should be called. For liability reasons, housing staff members should never transport students in their own vehicle nor should they call the ambulance.

The staff member should stay with the sick or injured student at least until the campus police officer has arrived. If possible, another staff member should contact the hall director. If the hall director can not be notified, call the Housing Office (ext. 3686). In the evenings and on weekends, if the hall director is not in the building, the Hall Director On Call (HDC) should be contacted. The schedule of who is the designated Hall Director On Call should be posted in each RA Office and on each head staff member’s apartment door. If the HDC is not in his/her apartment, RAs and DAs should call the HDC cell phone number, 499-0958.

When the emergency has stabilized, the Housing staff member who coordinated the situation should write a detailed report of the incident (often called an incident report), including names, times, location, and actions taken. The report should be given to the staff member’s hall director, who will forward it to the Director of Housing.

SUICIDE THREATS

Every suicide threat should be taken seriously. RAs should be trained to encourage the student to accept professional help. If the student refuses to seek professional help (Letting the staff member call the Director of Housing for a referral), the RA should talk with the resident to determine how thought out the suicide plans are. The more the developed the plan, the more likely the suicide. If, after talking, the individual still seems suicidal, the RA should make sure someone stays with the student until professional help can intervene.

The hall director (or HDC) should be contacted immediately to further determine the threat. If the hall director determines that the threat of suicide is strong, the Director of Housing must be notified immediately. If the Director of Housing cannot be reached, the Director of Student Affairs should be contacted. If neither are available, the campus police should be notified. Afterwards, a report should be written up and a message should be left on the voice mail of the Director of Housing’s office and home phone.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

In the event of a fire or bomb threat, the fire alarm should be pulled to notify residents of the need to evacuate the building. So as to insure the safety of members of the Housing staff, they also should evacuate the residence hall. Members of the Housing staff are not expected to go door-to-door to inform residents of the evacuation. The fire alarms inform the residents of the emergency situation. Once RAs are outside the building, they should talk with their residents to determine if any other residents are still in the residence hall. Any information should be passed on to the hall director. To insure that residents understand the emergency evacuation procedures, a fire drill is held in each residence hall during the fall and spring semester.

TORNADO WARNING

In the event of a tornado warning (when a tornado has been sighted and may affect our area), the bells inside the residence halls (three 15 second intervals), and the horn above the Student Union Building (3 minutes) will sound. In Spieth and Selden Halls, the resident assistants should make an "all call", directing everyone to the basement. In Brock Hall, the RAs will make an all call, directing everyone to the hallway of the Nursing School (The Hall Director has a key). In Sisk and Stickney, the housing staff members should direct everyone to the first floor hallways of their respective buildings. In Reed Hall, Patterson Apartments and the Hoover Apartments, the housing staff members should instruct everyone to go to the Student Union Building.

HALL DIRECTOR ON CALL

Each head staff member is responsible for serving as the hall director on call (HDC) approximately twice a semester. HDC responsibilities begin at 8:00 a.m. on Monday and end on the following Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. The HDC should not be outside of the Livingston city limits while on-call unless excused by the Director of Housing. The head staff member must keep the cell phone turned on at all times while serving as the HDC.

In the case of an emergency, the HDC must determine if other university personnel (Director of Housing or Director of Student Affairs) should be contacted. Whether contacted at the time of the incident or not, the Director of Housing should be given a written report of any incident for which the HDC is called upon to assist. The incident report should be typed and submitted within 24 hours of the incident.

Three copies of the Hall Director on Call schedule will be distributed to each head staff member on a semester basis. A copy of the schedule should be posted in each RA Office and on each head staff members apartment door. Each head staff member should keep a copy in his/her apartment or hall director office.
 

RA ON DUTY - WEEKEND

Each residence hall director is responsible for designating an RA on Duty for each weekend. This person is responsible for unlocking the residence hall building by 10:00 a.m. and working office hours. This person is also responsible for insuring that the residence hall building is locked by 11:00 p.m. and that non-residents who are not escorted by a resident are off the premises. In addition, the RA on Duty is responsible for insuring that all emergency exit doors are secured and that the door alarms are functioning properly. After closing the office for the evening, The RA on Duty is expected to conduct a visual inspection of all residence hall common areas. Any maintenance concerns should be properly reported.

The RA on Duty should contact the hall director in case of an emergency. If the hall director is not available during an emergency, the RA on Duty should contact the "Hall Director On Call" (HDC). Whether contacted at the time of the incident or not, the Director of Housing should be given a written report of any incident for which the HDC is called upon to assist.

RA ON DUTY - WEEKDAY

Each residence hall director is responsible for designating an RA on Duty each evening. The RA on Duty should be on the premises of the residence hall after 8:00 p.m. (unless the hall director is present and agrees to cover for the RA). This person is responsible for insuring that the residence hall building is locked by 11:00 p.m. and that non-residents who are not escorted by a resident are off the premises. This RA is also responsible for insuring that emergency exit doors are secured and that the door alarms are functioning properly. The RA on Duty is expected to conduct a visual inspection of all residence hall common areas (hallways and lobbies) at least twice each night. Any maintenance concerns should be properly reported. The RA on Duty should also insure that the quiet hours policy is being followed.

The RA on Duty should contact the hall director in case of an emergency. If the hall director is not available during an emergency, the RA on Duty should contact the "Hall Director On Call" (HDC). Whether contacted at the time of the incident or not, the Director of Housing should be given a written report of any incident for which the HDC is called upon to assist.