» Risk Management

The mission of the Chapman University Risk Management Department is to create a risk management culture throughout the University, providing resources that engage and empower community members in their quest to meet and exceed their educational goals and objectives of preeminence. This encompasses the vision that Chapman University will be a student-centered institution, recognized nationally and internationally as a center of academic and personal excellence that prepares our students to contribute to a global society. This includes the operation of a comprehensive risk management program that contributes to the health, safety and protection of employees, students and visitors, while also protecting the University's physical and financial resources.

Our goal is to minimize the adverse effects of unpredictable events. Toward this end, we utilize a number of processes and tools that include but are not limited to:

• Serve as a resource and provide consultation to University administrators and faculty on matters related to insurance and loss prevention.
• Serve as a resource and clearinghouse and provide consultation to student groups on risks associated with clubs, activities, and special events.
• Serve as a central portal that organizes and maintains a database on incidents, accidents and other loss-related events that impact or potentially impact University resources.
• Develop programs for loss prevention and environmental health and safety consistent with the needs of the University. 
• Coordinate one or more safety committees and an ongoing program of risk management and safety in-service education and training for University personnel.
• Support the Public Safety Department in maintaining sufficient and appropriate plans and resources necessary to assure a successful program of disaster preparedness and business continuity.
• Procure and maintain appropriate and competitively priced policies of insurance as needed to complement a well integrated risk management and insurance program for the University.
• Review insurance language in vendor and supplier contracts to control transfer of risk in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Review and approve Certificates of Insurance for vendors and facility users and maintain current database of insurance information.
• Maintain current values for buildings, contents, and moveable property.
• Respond to all property, liability and other casualty losses, initiating investigations and accomplishing the appropriate resolution of all claims.
• Work with Chapman University Public Safety to authorize and maintain a database of approved drivers.
• Manage special insurance programs including surety bonding, equipment maintenance insurance, and programs to protect employees on special grants and programs.
• Support the work of the Chapman University Public Safety Department as relates to employee, student, and visitor safety and security.
• Support the risk management needs of the Chapman University Office of Information Systems & Technology in protecting the hardware, software, and information that are essential to the operations of the University.
• Support the Chapman University Human Resources Department in the development and administration of an effective Injury and Illness Prevention (IIP) Program and workers’ compensation insurance program for employees.
• Other duties that contribute to the safety and security of University resources.

Each day many Chapman University employees go beyond the basic elements of their job and on their own initiative take actions that improve the safety and health of members of the Chapman University community. They identify risks, including safety hazards, and respond in a proactive manner, taking action to avoid or reduce the severity of an action that would be adverse to the best interests of individuals and/or the University overall. 

This could be as simple as reporting a safety hazard, assisting someone who might have experienced an illness or injury, or being proactive and making recommendations in support of “reducing risks” in any area of University operations.  Strategies to reduce risk and improve safety are not the single domain of the Risk Management Department. Our mutual success requires that all staff, faculty and students acknowledge their role in advancing this important goal, and accepting personal responsibility. The mantra “Everyone is a Risk Manager” is the key to this success.

We want to recognize the contribution of each individual who demonstrates this practice in their work on behalf of the University. The Risk Management Department encourages you to recognize those individuals who you observe demonstrating this action, congratulate them personally, and nominate them for formal recognition of their contribution to managing risk and safety for the University. By clicking on this link, we ask you to nominate any such individual(s), identifying who they are, and provide a brief description of their commendable action(s).

 The link below allows anyone, throughout the University, to anonymously report a Safety Concern to Risk Management and EH&S. If you prefer to be recognized and contacted, please email your report to EHS@chapman.edu. 

Safety Concern Report Form