What Insurers Wish Institutions Knew About the Risks of Sexual Misconduct
United Educators and Grand River Solutions hosted a virtual webinar entitled What Insurers Wish Institutions Knew About the Risks of Sexual Misconduct. Jody Shipper, Cofounder and Managing Director of Grand River Solutions, interviewed Heather Salko, Manager of Risk Research and Lindsey Dunn, Senior Risk Management Counsel of United Educators (UE). The discussion focused on sexual misconduct response, Title IX-related risk, negligence exposure, and institutional liability.
The one-hour webinar conveyed key liability trends, institutional risk drivers, and operational recommendations. Heather and Lindsey work closely with educational institutions on risk management, claims, and institutional response issues, including matters related to Title IX and sexual misconduct. The one-hour webinar conveyed key liability trends, institutional risk drivers, and operational recommendations.
“The question in litigation is often not simply: ‘Did misconduct occur?’ but rather: ‘How did the institution respond once it had notice?’”
A starting point to the discussion was posed: Is there even still a risk around litigation of Title IX anymore? Should people still be worried about this topic? Lindsey clarified that some schools are less focused on Title IX response issues because the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is not prioritizing institutional missteps in the same way. This approach opens up an institution to increased liability.
A shift in federal enforcement priority—combined with a return to the 2020 regulations—should not be read to mean institutions can respond less carefully to allegations of sexual misconduct. There is a difference between federal enforcement of someone’s rights and liability exposure for what your institution did or failed to do”
Again and again, the response process becomes central in claims, investigations, and reputational harm.
“What matters most is usually the institution’s decision-making trail: what it knew, when it knew it, who received the information, what action was considered, what action was taken, and what was documented.”
The webinar was so informative that attendees have requested a resource to share with their colleagues to review or edit their policy and procedures.
Together, Grand River Solutions and United Educators created a downloadable resource for our higher education and PK-12 partners. To receive the complete summary, including an Institutional Risk Reduction Checklist, download the resource here.
Learn about UE’s RMPC program where eligible member institutions can earn insurance renewal premium credit by completing a sexual misconduct risk assessment with Grand River Solutions.
Grand River Solutions offers services and products, including consulting services and Case Tracker, our case management software—both designed to help institutions reduce risk while best serving their communities with their response and resolution to harassment and discrimination.
