The OUS Office of Risk Management provides support to Oregon’s seven public higher education campuses through a comprehensive strategic enterprise risk management function that focuses on the risks associated with life safety, reputation, financial, compliance, and operational exposures.  This is accomplished through the application of risk financing to include risk transfer and risk retention, and through the implementation of risk controls including risk assessments, training and compliance awareness and monitoring.

Through these programs, we provide a shared service to enhance the culture of risk awareness on our campuses in an integrated and sustainable manner through the three strategies noted below:

1. Best Practices: the Risk Council will utilize best practices for communication, training, education, data collection, and processes to improve the execution and consistency of the management of risk within the Oregon University System.
2. Accountability: the Risk Council will continue to hold people accountable for their successes and failures to mitigate losses.
3. Return on Investment: the Risk Council will continue to track and monitor risk to better inform and determine the risk appetite of the institutions and align risk management strategies with the mission of the Oregon University System and the public universities.

The OUS Risk Management Program Policy is comprised of the Risk Oversight Committee headed by the Vice Chancellor of Finance & Administration, the Vice Presidents of Finance & Administration at the various campuses and the OUS Chief Risk Officer.  This group provides the strategic oversight for the program.  The Risk Council, consisting of the Risk Management leaders from each campus, conducts the day-to-day transactions and risk mitigation for the program.  These activities include integrating risk awareness with campus strategic partners including General Counsel, Internal Audit, Academic Strategies, Student Affairs, Student Health, Research, International Programs, Human Resources, Environmental Health & Safety, Procurement, Security, Facilities and Capital Planning.

The Risk Management Program Policy and Risk Fund Policy can be found on the Policies & Procedures page.

Links to each of the University Risk Management Website can be found below:

• Eastern Oregon University*
• Oregon Institute of Technology
• Oregon State University
• Portland State University
• Southern Oregon University
• University of Oregon
• Western Oregon University

^{*Does not currently have a Risk Management Website}

Claims and Tort Notices

All Oregon University System tort notices and lawsuits should be submitted here.

Contacts:

• Ellen Shew Holland, ARM,
  OUS Chief Risk Officer,
  503-725-9730
• Mary Robinson,
  Government Relations and Risk Management Program Specialist,
  503-798-9976
• Ashley Grealish,
  OUS Risk and Insurance Analyst,
  503-725-5719
• Christina McKnight, ARM,
  OUS Risk Control Officer,
  503-798-9976