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- 1600 Holloway Avenue . San Francisco . CA 94132 . Tel (415) 338-1111
Hours: Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
E-mail: hrwww@sfsu.edu
Phone: (415) 338-1872
or (415) 338-1873
Fax: (415) 338-0521
Address: 1600 Holloway Ave. Administration Bldg, RM 252
San Francisco, CA 94132
How often do the Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement forms need to be completed?
Are there any documents student interns should complete to obtain insurance coverage?
Are there risk management guidelines related to off-campus faculty receptions?
Where do the waivers of liability forms reside after they are collected?
Are students or volunteers allowed to drive on University field trips or activities?
The requirement that all field trips should begin and end on campus is impractical and impossible.
Who may I contact on campus regarding Community Service Learning issues and guidelines?
How often do the Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement forms need to be completed?
Each student participant should complete a waiver of liability form for each University sponsored field trip or activity.
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Are there any documents student interns should complete to obtain insurance coverage?
Recognized student interns are automatically covered under the umbrella of the University’s Workers’ Compensation insurance. Examples of recognized student interns are students enrolled in the school of Nursing and the Teacher Credential program. There is no documentation required of the student interns nor are there any documents to complete.
Please note that workers’ compensation coverage is provided to student interns during periods of concurrent enrollment in a course. Student interns that intern during the summer or other times of non-enrollment in a course are not provided workers’ compensation coverage.
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Are there risk management guidelines for off-campus faculty receptions?
All off-campus faculty receptions must comply with the University’s Drug and Alcohol policy (University Directive #89-12). The University expects the campus community to be aware of all state and local laws with reference to possession and use of alcohol and to make informed decisions and to be responsible for the consequences of those decisions. A host of any given faculty reception must be clear on whether the event is a mandatory function and work related event. The University is not responsible for any faculty social events.
Departments may check with Risk Management on whether special events coverage is needed for certain off-campus department events by phoning (415) 338-2565.
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Do State employees automatically have vehicle liability coverage for rental cars used on state business?
State employees have vehicle liability coverage for rental cars obtained from the Sate of California's primary car rental vendor, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, for all state government related travel. In the event that the primary rental car vendor is unable to provide service, the secondary vendor, Vanguard Car Rental must be used. Vanguard Car Rental USA is the parent company of Alamo and National Car Rental.
All University employees are encouraged to reserve car rentals for state business with Fell Travel, the University's travel agency. Contact Fell Travel at (800) 321-3355 or make a reservation with Fell Travel on line by selecting SFSU Reservations. Fell Travel will make the appropriate car rental reservation with the State's vehicle liability coverage upon departmental approval. Fell Travel will email all travel and car rental confirmations to the SFSU employee traveler.
The designated car rental agencies provide vehicle liability coverage ONLY when a State employee uses a American Express (State) Government card, or any State pre-approved direct billing procedure. If an employee uses any method of payment outside of the pre-approved methods of payment, vehicle liability coverage under the State contract does not apply.
However, Enterprise Rent-A-Car of San Francisco has agreed to extend the terms, conditions, and rates of their vehicle liability coverage contract with the State of California with an alternate pre-approved direct billing procedure. Enterprise Rent-A-Car agrees to directly bill San Francisco State University and extend the State’s contract for vehicle liability coverage for vehicle rentals to SFSU employees on state business only when employees use Enterprise’s authorized fax reservation form. Enterprise authorized fax reservation forms may be obtained from the Enterprise rent-a-car outlet on campus by calling (415) 337-9000. For specific information on Rental Cars please check the SFSU Office of Risk Management State Vehicle website.
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What is the purpose of the hold harmless clause on the waiver of liability forms? I don’t believe this clause will stand up in court.
A hold harmless clause on a liability waiver form is valid in any court of law. The participant’s signature on the waiver form acknowledges that the participant understands of the risks involved in participation. The purpose of the hold harmless clause is to provide notice of potential risks and to confirm participant acknowledgement of the shared risks of the activity.
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Where do the waivers of liability forms reside after they are collected?
The completed and signed waiver of liability form should be kept for 2-years in the field trip sponsor’s academic department. Risk Management may request the field trip sponsor’s department to provide a copy of the participant’s signed waiver of liability form in the event a claim is filed.
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Are there any driver requirements for students who make personal travel arrangements for a required field trip?
Students who make their own personal travel arrangements with fellow classmates in their private vehicles are not required to provide proof of vehicle insurance to the University. When an accident occurs, the student's private vehicle insurance is primary coverage for any injuries and/or any vehicle damage. The University is not responsible for students who make their own personal travel arrangements.
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Are students or volunteers allowed to drive others on University field trips or activities?
University departments may not employ students and volunteers to drive others for University field trips or activities.
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The requirement that all field trips should begin and end on campus is impractical and impossible.
The guideline that all field trips should begin and end on campus is a GUIDELINE and not a requirement. This guideline is related to the requirement of the Student Travel Accident insurance policy purchased by the University. A field trip that begins and ends on campus is less likely to be questioned as a “field trip“ by the insurance policy administrators when reviewing a claim.
Student field trip participants are encouraged to organize and/or arrange their own transportation to and from field trip site(s) whenever possible. Students that make their own personal transportation arrangements (i.e. private car, carpool with other students, MUNI, BART, etc.) to and from home and the field trip meeting site do so at their own risk. The University is not responsible for students that make their own travel arrangements to and from a field trip meeting site.
Field trip sponsors/leaders are encouraged to designate a meeting time and their field trip destination. University faculty/staff should notify their student participants that personal transportation arrangements are done so at their own risk.
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Are students required to sign waiver forms for class assignments completed outside the classroom (i.e. work at a museum site, social service agency site, elementary school site, etc.)?
The University does not provide liability coverage for students completing class assignments outside the classroom. Faculty is encouraged to thoroughly scrutinize student placement sites for potential risks and to recommend adequate personal safety practices.
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Are there any limitations for students who attend professional conferences and workshops as a part of their coursework?
There is no University restriction or limitation for students who attend professional conferences and workshops for course credit. If students attend conferences or workshops, students must be given notice that they attend and/or participate at their own risk.
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Who may I contact on campus regarding Community Service Learning issues and guidelines?
Perla Barrientos, Director of the Office of Community Service Learning (OCSL), through the campus San Francisco Urban Institute, is responsible for coordinating campus efforts to incorporate Community Service Learning into the curriculum at San Francisco State University. She may be contacted at (415) 338-3282.
Additional community service learning web link reference sites are listed below.
Managing Risks in Service Learning. Review the CSU systemwide recommended best practices for managing Community Service Learning. Select the "Best Practices Manual" (in pdf format).
University Volunteers. Reviews the CSU Office of General Counsel's definition of University volunteers. Select "University Volunteers" (in pdf format).
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Who may I contact to obtain University approval for any short-term study abroad (international) travel?
All short-term study international travel programs organized for regularly matriculated SFSU students should consult with My Yarabinec, Associate Director at the Office of International Programs at (415) 338-3316 in ADM 450 to discuss the University's approval process for organizing student travel abroad.
All short-term study international programs organized for non-matriculated SFSU students and/or for international travel programs organized during periods of scheduled University closure (i.e. Spring break, Winter break) should consult with Jim Bryan, Associate Dean at the College of Extended Learning at (415) 338-2556 to discuss tuition/fee requirements and the University's approval process for organizing student travel abroad.
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Short-term study (international) travel abroad
Administrators, faculty, and staff organizing short-term study (international) travel abroad for students are required to consult with either the Office of International Programs (OIP) or the College of Extended Learning (CEL) regarding the University’s approval process for organized short-term travel out of the U.S. Risk Management may contacted for foreign travel insurance purchase for any University department sponsored international travel.
All short-term study travel programs require University approval and must comply with established University procedures and practices outlined in the Guidelines for Short-Term Study Abroad Programs & Managing Emergencies Abroad found on the Study Abroad - College of Extended Learning (CEL) web site.
Travelers participating in the University’s Study Abroad Program should contact the Office of International Programs to discuss appropriate insurance coverage.
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