Managing Risk at Events

Risk Management Guidelines

Student organizations are expected to prioritize participant safety and institutional compliance when planning any activity or gathering. Risk management is the process of identifying potential hazards associated with an event and establishing proactive controls to minimize harm, injury, or loss.

5 Types of Risk

When evaluating event safety and developing risk mitigation strategies, student leaders must consider five primary areas of impact:

  • Physical
    • Direct threats to body or health (e.g., bodily injury, illness, heat exhaustion, physical exhaustion, food safety hazards).
  • Emotional
    • Threats to mental well-being, psychological safety, or inclusive community standards (e.g., hazing, discrimination, harassment, distress).
  • Facilities
    • Hazards related to physical locations or equipment (e.g., property damage, unsafe venues, overcrowding, improper equipment use).
  • Financial
    • Threats to fiscal solvency and stewardship (e.g., budget overruns, loss of ticket revenue, non-refundable vendor contracts, theft).
  • Reputational
    • Harm to the brand, values, or public standing of the student organization or the University of Dayton (e.g., policy violations, negative media coverage, public disruption).

Event Risk Management Plans

  • Requirement: A formal Risk Management Plan is mandatory for any campus or off-campus event categorized as having elevated risk during the event registration process in 1850.
  • Evaluation Criteria: Elevated risk may be triggered by factors such as travel, large expected attendance, physical activity, alcohol service, specialized equipment, high financial outlay, or outdoor weather dependencies.

Annual Recurring Event Plans

  • Certain recognized student organizations whose core operations involve recurring activities with the same risks may be eligible to submit one annual Risk Management Plan at the start of the academic year rather than individual submissions per instance.
  • Eligible Organizations & Activities: Applies to regular, moderate risk operations such as on- and near-campus practices, routine local travel (e.g., travel to the UD Arena or local training facilities), or recurring club meetups.
    • Examples: Club Sports teams, Red Scare, Pokémon GO, and similar active or travel-based groups.
  • Approval Process: Annual plans must cover all standard recurring dates, safety protocols, and emergency contacts. Student organizations must consult with the Center for Student Involvement (CSI) to confirm eligibility before relying on an annual plan.