Prevention and Protection

In this episode, UE's Melanie Bennett interviews Jeff Noland and Miriam McKendall from Holland & Knight about the Stop Campus Hazing Act.

Listen to United Educators (UE) risk management consultants Joanne Dunlap, Hoda Hussein, Beth Kidwell, and Natalie Robinson-Babaniyi share their perspectives on risks to watch in 2026.

In this episode, United Educators' (UE's) Melanie Bennett interviews Jayde Bennett and Alisa Barnard from Learning Courage about risk committees and audits.

In this episode, United Educators (UE) Senior Risk Management Counsel Hillary Pettegrew and Senior Risk Management Consultant Hoda Hussein discuss recommended practices and tips to make crisis response tabletop exercises as effective as possible.

In this episode, Cathy Cocks with D.Stafford and Associates discusses practical tips for optimizing your institution's threat assessment team.

In this episode, Dr. Kurt Michael of The Jed Foundation discusses the importance of suicide postvention should a death occur on your campus. 

In this episode, The Piazza Center's Steve Veldkamp and Dr. Patrick Biddix discuss hazing prevention programs following the Stop Campus Hazing Act.

In this episode, United Educators' (UE's) Melanie Bennett speaks with CampDoc's Michael Ambrose about camp health and safety.

In this episode, United Educators (UE) Director of Risk Management Research & Consulting Alyssa Keehan interviews UE Manager of Risk Research Heather Salko about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the employment process at educational institutions. Key Takeaways: Understand how AI is being used in the Human Resources area Identify risks related to using these tools Take steps to mitigate the risk of using these tool

In this episode, speakers recount their experience with an institution that ceased operating and offer tips for others facing similar circumstances.

United Educators (UE) Risk Management Consultants Hoda Hussein, Beth Kidwell, and Justin Kollinger share their perspectives on risks to watch in 2025.

In this episode, UE's Melanie Bennett speaks with HEPNet's Lindsay Bond about youth protection competencies for colleges and universities. 

In this episode, United Educators (UE) Senior Risk Management Counsel Hillary Pettegrew and Sarah Wieselthier from the law firm Fisher Phillips discuss the increasing number of state pay transparency laws, which generally require disclosing pay ranges in job postings. If your state doesn't already have a pay transparency law, monitor developments, as it may be coming.

In this episode, Melanie Bennett and Robert Duston speak about the new ADA digital accessibility regulations.

This episode discusses the types of animals that employees, students, or visitors may request to bring on campus and the relevant federal laws.

In this episode, UE's Melanie Bennett interviews Jamie Forbes and Amy Wheeler from Learning Courage about how schools can create healing spaces when responding to sexual abuse.

This episode discusses some of the major areas of potential liability for employers that violate the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

This episode addresses critical requirements for educational employers in the final regulations implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Listen for a description of how contrapower harassment might manifest on campus and steps to take to eliminate it or respond if it occurs.

Listen to United Educators (UE) risk management consultants discuss risks to watch in 2024 and how they project today's conditions into future risks.

In this episode, United Educators' (UE's) Melanie Bennett interviews Amy Piccola, a Partner at Saul Ewing, about the impact of ongoing athletics benefits changes.

United Educators' (UE's) Senior Risk Management Counsel Hillary Pettegrew discusses lessons learned from higher ed claims involving alleged sexual misconduct by employees against students.

This podcast episode addresses how all educational institutions can comply with federal and state equal pay laws.

In this episode, United Educators' (UE's) Justin Kollinger and Catalyst Agency's Michelle Guobadia discuss hazing prevention in culturally-based fraternities, sororities, and other student organizations.

In this episode, UE's Melanie Bennett interviews Jamie Forbes about how Learning Courage is helping schools prevent sexual abuse.

United Educators (UE) colleagues from the risk management department discuss lessons learned from slip and fall claims.

In this episode, United Educators' (UE's) Melanie Bennett interviews Louisiana State University's Ashley McGowan about McGowan's experience updating a contract review process. 

In this episode, UE's Melanie Bennett interviews Marcy Huey and Rebecca Whitman about their experiences conducting youth protection program assessments.

This episode discusses new federal requirements imposed on empolyers by (1) the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and (2) the PUMP Act.

Attorneys from United Educators' (UE's) Resolutions department discuss documentation practices and the role it can play in risk mitigation efforts.

In this podcast, Eric Hartman, University of Denver, and Liza Kabanova, United Educators (UE) Risk Management Consultant, discuss the value of securing doors campus-wide.

In this podcast, UE's Melanie Bennett interviews Amy Piccola, a Partner at Saul Ewing, about the impact of ongoing athletics benefits changes.

United Educators' (UE's) Justin Kollinger interviews Gian Franco Borio, a European attorney who specializes in study away and is a member of the Florence Bar. They discuss considerations for educational institutions that send students to Europe for study away programs.

UE's Hillary Pettegrew interviews Clare Sisisky, Executive Director of the Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG), about things K-12 schools should take into account when traveling with students, either in the U.S. or overseas.

In this episode, UE's Melanie Bennett interviews Dr. Jennifer Hirsch and Dr. Shamus Khan, creators of the Sexual Assault Prevention And Community Equity (SPACE) toolkit.

Part two of a special two-part series of podcasts features expert Jody Shipper discussing the past, present, and future of Title IX on sexual harassment.

Part one of a special two-part series of podcasts features expert Janet Judge discussing the past, present, and future impact of Title IX on athletics.

Listen to appellate counsel and a UE Resolutions expert explain the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the case Houston Community College System v. Wilson.

Learn about risks United Educators' (UE's) consultants predict will impact K-12 schools, colleges, and universities in the remainder of 2022.

In this episode, Nakeschi Watkins, Director of Risk Management and Insurance at Cornell University, and Paula Hope Griffin, Children and Youth Safety Program Administrator at Cornell University, discuss volunteer management for the protection of minors from sexual misconduct. This session overviews their policies and procedures regarding screening, training and reporting requirements for volunteers working with minors.  Moderated by Hoda Hussein, Risk Management Consultant, United Educators.

In this episode, UE's Melanie Bennett interviews Dr. Shamus Khan, co-author of the book Sexual Citizens and Jamie Forbes, CEO of Learning Courage.

In this podcast, two of UE's Risk Researchers discuss lessons learned from discrimination and wrongful termination claims.

In this episode, Justin Kollinger, UE Risk Management Consultant, is joined by Dr. Pietro Sasso, faculty member at Stephen F. Austin State University and faculty research fellow at the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform at Penn State University. They discuss alcohol misuse and abuse patterns among students, how those patterns may change for at-risk students as we emerge from the pandemic, and how risk managers can support their colleagues in student affairs. This podcast will be of interest to administrators, risk management professionals, student affairs professionals, and faculty and staff working to manage student alcohol misuse.

In this episode of the Prevention and Protection podcast, Amy Piccola, a partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr in Philadelphia, Andrea Brockway, counsel at Saul Ewing in Philadelphia, and Melanie Bennett, senior risk management counsel at United Educators, discuss recent changes to higher education athletics benefits.

In this episode, Dr. Nance Roy, Chief Clinical Officer of the JED Foundation, discusses the impact of the pandemic on college student mental health. Listen to this podcast to learn how your institution can prepare for and support students as they return to in-person learning during the Fall 2021 semester and beyond.

This discussion with Joe Storch and Gemma Rinefierd of SUNY's Student Conduct Institute (SCI) focuses on the impact the implementation of the 2020 Title IX regulations have had on higher education campuses. Joe and Gemma discuss SCI's work in this area as well as the pros and cons of the regulations as they relate to the response, investigation, and discipline of sexual harassment and sexual violence incidents on campus. Listen to this podcast to learn how your institution can use these thoughts to evaluate your practices.

This discussion with Megan Farrell of Title IX Consult LLC focuses on the impact the implementation of the 2020 Title IX regulations have had on schools around the country. Megan discusses her work in this area as well as the lessons she learned in implementing the regulations at a school district and in her work with schools. These regulations relate to the response, investigation, and discipline of sexual harassment and sexual violence incidents at schools receiving federal funds. Listen to this podcast to learn how your school can use these insights and lessons to evaluate your practices. 

In this episode, Lindsay Bond, executive director of the Higher Education Protection Network (HEPNet), and Melanie Bennett, senior risk management counsel at United Educators, discuss how colleges and universities can protect minors in remote learning programs.

In this episode, United Educators risk management consultants Hoda Hussein, Justin Kollinger and Sam Swartout forecast the top risks impacting schools, colleges and universities in 2021. They discuss their insights, relevant risk trends and considerations institutions should keep in mind should these risks surface on campus.

United Educators risk management consultants Liza Kabanova and Justin Kollinger discuss lessons learned during research for the 2020 edition of the book "An Accountability Guide for University and College Boards." Topics covered include the value of ERM programs today, new and emerging risks, and practical lessons for senior administrators and boards looking to start or refresh ERM programs.