RC-785; SEMINAR IN RISK CONTROL
2 SEM. HR.

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT

SPRING 2004

COURSE OUTLINE

Meeting Time

Selected Fridays, 8 am to 11 am, Room 106, Jarvis Hall (or other designated areas)

Instructor

Dr. Brian J. Finder, Associate Professor
125 Science Wing
Telephone: 232-1422

Course Description

Current topics and management-based trends/methods in risk control will be analyzed.

Course Objectives

After successfully completing the course, the student will be able to:

1. Identify and locate resources in selected areas of Risk Control.
2. Articulate operational-based terminology and employ management techniques associated with  assessing risk and developing appropriate control methodologies.
3. Identify and assess the presence/effectiveness of required risk control components for specific organizations.
4. Critique an organization's risk control system components and their ability to minimize the occurrence of accidental loss.

Course Structure

Arrange & Perform Plant Visits

1. From a list of available Fridays, each team of two students must pick a day to conduct a site visit.
2. Each team of students must contact the person responsible for safety/risk control support at the organization to request site visit.  If permission is granted to visit the organization, the team must then gather pertinent information (i.e., directions, time, etc.).
3. In preparation for each site visit, the associated team must research resources (e.g., Best's Loss Control Engineering Guide in the Reference Library), or other reference material. At a minimum, the team must analyze the major risk factors inherent to the organization's processes, the internal systems that should be in place to manage such risks, and a list of specific questions that they intend to ask during the site visit.
4. By noon of the Wednesday immediately prior to the site visit, the associated team will be responsible for e-mailing information (in Word format please) regarding the pre-visit meeting location/time, their organizational risk factor/internal risk control system analysis, identified specific questions, and details of the site meeting (location/time) to the remaining students as well as the instructor.
5. The associated team will professionally lead the discussion regarding their compiled information and questions to the remaining members of the class during a 30-minute meeting that will be held at a pre-determined location (they chose) just prior to the Friday visit.
6. Once at the site, a selected team representative will be responsible for introducing the organizational contact to the remainder of the class and another representative of the same team will be responsible for taking care of the closing comments.
7. Within one week of the visit, the associated team will be responsible for sending a thank-you letter to the organizational contact person with a copy to Brian Finder.

Analyze and Contrast Sites Visited

After the second, fourth, and sixth site visits, every team of students will be responsible for writing a reaction paper as it pertains to the prior two site visits.  At a minimum, this reaction paper must summarize and contrast the management systems and methodologies in place at each of the two previously visited locations (see attached example for required reaction paper format).  This paper will be due within one week of the date that the second, fourth, and sixth site visits are performed.

General Student Expectations

1. Attend all class meetings and site visits
2. Participate actively in class meetings and site visits
3. Equitably pull their weight within the established team

Student Evaluation

1. Attendance: All students will begin the semester with the letter grade of “A” from an attendance standpoint.  For each required class meeting as well as site visit that a student fails to attend, a 1/3 letter grade will be deducted from the final grade.
2. Formal Presentations: Each of the six teams will be evaluated on the quality of their oral pre-site visit presentation
3. Written Documentation: Because of the importance of written communication in business, all written requirements will be evaluated on timeliness of submission, content, and quality of writing *.  Papers that are submitted late, are content deficient, and/or contain excessive technical problems (i.e., grammar, spelling, and sentence structure) will be downgraded accordingly.  Hand-written papers will not be accepted.
4. Peer Evaluation: Each student will complete a peer evaluation form.  This feedback process will allow him/her to evaluate the other team individuals’ level of performance and overall contributions to the group.

   Assignments will be evaluated on the basis of completing the assigned task.  The grade of “A” is reserved for those assignments where the student(s) have performed a thorough analysis and where the work is clearly of superior quality.

Required Reaction Paper Format

I. Overview of Company A’s Processes, Predominant Risks, and Management Structure

II. Overview of Company B’s Processes, Predominant Risks, and Management Structure

III. Organizational Planning and Support

1. Strength/Weakness Analysis of Company A to Literature

2. Strength/Weakness Analysis of Company B to Literature

IV. Standards and Practices

1. Strength/Weakness Analysis of Company A to Literature

2. Strength/Weakness Analysis of Company B to Literature


V. Training

1. Strength/Weakness Analysis of Company A to Literature

2. Strength/Weakness Analysis of Company B to Literature

VI. Accountability and Performance Feedback

1. Strength/Weakness Analysis of Company A to Literature

2. Strength/Weakness Analysis of Company B to Literature

    RC-785; Seminar in Risk Control
             Spring 2004 Schedule

Jan. 30	First day of class – no tour
Feb. 6	Organizational planning – no tour
Feb. 13	____________________________
Feb. 20	____NO TOUR PLANNED_______
Feb. 27	____________________________
Mar. 5	____NO TOUR PLANNED_______
Mar. 12	_____ SPRING BREAK_________
Mar. 19	____________________________
Mar. 26	____________________________
Apr. 2	____________________________
Apr. 9	____________________________
Apr. 16	____________________________
Apr. 23	____NO  TOUR PLANNED_______
Apr. 30	____________________________

Updated: January 15, 2004