Risk Management Case Study

Please take a few minutes to read the following case study. Once all members of your group have finished reading the material, please spend 5-10 minutes discussing the material, answer the questions, and use the attached risk management checklist, inclement weather guide, and communications planning tool to address the issue presented. You will be asked to present your findings to the group.

Wake Up the Stadium

You are an Assistant Director for Student Activities at the University of the Gulf Coast. One of your job responsibilities is advising the university’s programming board. In the past much of your programming for Welcome Week has been small-scale, but this year Student Government Association granted the programming board a one-time allocation to do a large event in conjunction with the Athletic Department. You have been granted access to the university’s football stadium for an overnight event during Welcome Week. The beginning of the school year is notorious for a bit of rain every afternoon, though major buckets of rain are only common if a tropical storm is near. Very enthusiastic, your students being planning many activities they know will be successful during Welcome Week: a couple inflatable games on the grassy area near the home end zone (your stadium field is level with the ground outside and is not a full bowl), pickup games on the field, free food every hour from different vendor, and a tailgate atmosphere. The event is not ticketed and outdoors with no viable rain backup location for many of the activities. Community members have also been invited to attend for free and bring their families.

Follow-Up Questions

What kinds of risks do you see presented in connection with this event?Physical? Emotional? Reputational? Financial?

Take a few minutes to run through the Risk Management Checklist and think through risks associated with this event if you were planning it from the beginning.

Who are the major players on campus that you should consult about making arrangements in advance of the event?

Use the Inclement Weather Planning Guide and communications planning ideas to integrate into your plan for addressing risk the day of the event?

How would you prepare your programming board to volunteer during this event?

Day of the Event

The event kicks off at 8pm with a performance by the university’s marching band showing off a preview of their new show for the first game. The event starts as usual with vendors setup around the stadium providing many events. As the sun begins to set you notice some dark clouds on the horizon to the southwest. It looks far away and you don’t see any lightening. Suddenly a strong wind starts to build and it gets gusty as the storm front gets closer.

Suddenly a large gust of wind causes the stakes holding the inflatable down to become loose and a giant football player shaped obstacle course begins to topple over sideways. It has caused a couple bloody lips, contusions, and one individual has hit her head. Additionally, several people have brought minors to the event and the crowd is much larger, and active, that you anticipated.

Follow-Up Questions

What would you do if you saw the potential for bad weather the day of the event? What would you do if weather conditions suddenly changed?

What kinds of communications measures would you put into play in this situation?

What would you plan to do if crowds are larger than expected? How would you go about addressing crowd control?

What would you do at the event to make note of the incident? What would you communicate or follow-up on the next day?