Risk Management Mission Statement

In order to effectively manage risk, Tufts must systematically share risk and internal knowledge across their functions and departments to obtain best practices. For Tufts to optimize risk control, we must incorporate a culture of risk management into all of our activities. This strategy will ensure that decisions regarding risk management will be made on an informed basis and will be aligned with the University’s risk tolerance and business strategy.

Advisory Committee

The Risk Management Advisory Committee will advise the Vice President of Operations and will collaborate on an approach to identify and manage the risks the University faces. The Committee will champion these strategies and be charged with communicating them to each member’s respective areas so that all stakeholders will take ownership. A common language for managing our risks will be established with a balanced view between the upside and downside risks and be a process that attempts to minimize hazards, influence and control uncertainties and manage opportunities.

Membership and Authority

The Risk Management Advisory Committee is a standing committee and its membership is appointed by the Vice President for Operations. Members will be appointed because of their leadership roles with the University and their unique familiarity with their areas risk. Therefore, appointments to the Committee may run indefinitely.

Membership will encompass representation from several areas including, but not limited to, academic, administrative, athletic, legal, finance, public safety, human resources and research. The Director of Risk Management and Insurance will serve as Chair.

Membership:

• David Slater, Director of Risk Management and Insurance, Chair
• Bruce Reitman, Dean of Student Affairs
• Tom McGurty, Vice President Finance and Treasurer
• Paul Murphy, Director of Research Administration
• Charles Young, Director of Information Security
• Bill Gehling, Director of Athletics
• Seth Kornetsky, Director of Internal Audit
• TBD - Director of University Facilities
• Stephen Larson, Director of Environmental Health and Safety
• John King, Director of Public and Environmental Safety
• John Roberto, Vice President of Operations
• Marty Oppenheimer, Senior Counsel
• Julia Leonard, Director of Human Resources, Boston and Grafton

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide a comprehensive and common sense way to manage risk across the entire organization.
• Establish a common language for managing risks to be shared with the University.
• Increase the University’s risk intelligence by examining how we gather information about risks, analyze, apply and learn from the results.
• Establish methodologies for quantifying, comparing, benchmarking and prioritizing risks.
• Continuously assess our risk management strategies to assure they remain current with regulatory, operational and legal changes as well as our business objectives.
• Retrospectively review incurred financial or operational losses and prepare recommendations or corrective action plans for their future prevention.