[lex24]

Stanford has unlimited resources to fight lawsuits.  Certainly not “disadvantaged” on that score.  I doubt very much Administration is “petrified” of lawsuits.  If so, they should find other jobs.

I think it is much bigger than Stanford.  Higher education over the last generation of time has become extremely fearful of litigation--often irrationally so.  Many managers act in ways that they think will reduce liability even if the actual threat of a lawsuit is minimal.  It is a financially conservative approach that now colors the thinking of most administrators most of the time--and is especially strong in student affairs divisions.  I've witnessed this personally at several other universities.  Paradoxically, the main problem is that the managers making these decisions are frequently NOT lawyers and so they misunderstand and often exaggerate the risks.

Example:  For me to walk my class from my campus 4 blocks down the street to a downtown art museum now requires liability waivers signed by each student.  The "Risk Management" team is now a ubiquitous feature at most universities and they promulgate these kinds of rules with no specialized understanding of students or faculty.  They cut their teeth managing construction projects which needed copious amounts of liability insurance, hardhats, safety training, etc., and they apply that model to all aspects of university life.

Are your students 10?  My gawd that is ridiculous.

[lex24]

Stanford has unlimited resources to fight lawsuits.  Certainly not “disadvantaged” on that score.  I doubt very much Administration is “petrified” of lawsuits.  If so, they should find other jobs.

I think it is much bigger than Stanford.  Higher education over the last generation of time has become extremely fearful of litigation--often irrationally so.  Many managers act in ways that they think will reduce liability even if the actual threat of a lawsuit is minimal.  It is a financially conservative approach that now colors the thinking of most administrators most of the time--and is especially strong in student affairs divisions.  I've witnessed this personally at several other universities.  Paradoxically, the main problem is that the managers making these decisions are frequently NOT lawyers and so they misunderstand and often exaggerate the risks.

Example:  For me to walk my class from my campus 4 blocks down the street to a downtown art museum now requires liability waivers signed by each student.  The "Risk Management" team is now a ubiquitous feature at most universities and they promulgate these kinds of rules with no specialized understanding of students or faculty.  They cut their teeth managing construction projects which needed copious amounts of liability insurance, hardhats, safety training, etc., and they apply that model to all aspects of university life.

Are your students 10?  My gawd that is ridiculous.