Join URMIA!
Why Join URMIA?
Why should you join URMIA? What will an URMIA membership do for you?
Both the challenges and opportunities facing higher education risk managers have never been greater. URMIA strives to build the professionalism of higher education risk management and provide you with a variety of helpful, current resources and information that will help you meet the challenges that face you every day. URMIA's members create a community of knowledge and experience that you, as a member, can draw on to better meet your responsibilities and goals.
Read on to learn more about the specific benefits an URMIA membership can provide to you and your institution or company.
E-mail Discussions
One of URMIA's greatest benefits is allowing risk management professionals from across the country and world to share their questions, problems, and expertise with one another. The URMIA e-mail discussion list, which is for members only, gives you immediate access to over 900 college and university risk management professionals. Members can submit a question or problem to the e-mail list and receive solutions and suggestions from risk managers in minutes.
Publications
Our publications offer the latest information, updates, and headlines to help keep you abreast of changes in higher education risk management.
- URMIA Journal: The URMIA Journal is produced on an annual basis. A benefit of membership, the Journal is a peer-reviewed, scholarly publication, providing members with information on a variety of hot topics and areas of concern in risk management. Articles are submitted from URMIA members and from other leaders and experts in the profession.
- URMIA Insights: URMIA Insights is a monthly online newsletter that provides URMIA members with the latest news items, risk management updates, court cases, events and opportunities, and URMIA member news. Insights is a great way to keep up to date on the latest in higher education risk management and insurance issues, as well as professional changes within URMIA's membership.
- URMIA White Papers: Members of URMIA also have full access to a variety of URMIA-developed white papers. White paper topics include Enterprise Risk Management, Total Cost of Risk, the URMIA International Fellowship Program, and many others.
- URMIA Resource Library: The online library is another benefit of membership and includes documents on everything from emergency management and Department of Homeland Security updates to loss prevention and regulatory compliance. The library is constantly growing as URMIA members provide templates, resources, forms, and other items for posting and sharing.
Annual and Regional Conferences
URMIA hosts its annual
conference each fall and three to five additional regional conferences throughout the winter and spring. Conferences provide members with high quality educational sessions, as well as the opportunity to network with fellow risk management professionals.
Network of Resources
URMIA also provides members with a network of resources to contact with specific issues. The URMIA Resource List brings together experts in different areas with any member who may have a question or problem in that specific area. We have also developed a mentoring program for new members. For a complete listing of services, refer to our Membership Brochure.
Comments and Testimonials from URMIA Members
However, nothing speaks louder than the voices
of URMIA's members. Here's what some of them
have to say about membership with URMIA:
As a new risk manager, I was amazed at how welcoming and helpful URMIA members
were. I work in a small school, and URMIA was extremely helpful in broadening
my horizons, helping me to see the importance of my role and the value this unique
perspective can add.
Amelia S. Koch - Rhode Island School of Design
I didn't need any convincing to join URMIA, because, while I was familiar
with risk management, I had no experience in higher ed and was grateful to find
a small (compared to RIMS or CPCU) group of really nice, friendly people who
were willing to talk to me and give me great advice. If I were talking to someone
who had questions about membership or setting up a website, I would emphasize:
- The members as a resource, peer network which doesn't
exist for the risk manager within his or her own institution
- Help is just a phone call or e-mail away
- Through URMIA, you find new ideas, ways of looking at things, a chance to get "out of the box."
People have been extraordinarily kind and generous to
me in giving advice, "trade
secrets," and even rates and pricing so I can go back and push the markets even
harder. Through my participation in the organization, I have had the added pleasure
of developing friendships. I have been in a few insurance business organizations
in my career, and this is the only one that I have felt really connected to.
So to new or prospective members, I would say "Jump right in - the water's great!"
Elizabeth J. Carmichael, CPCU -
Risk Manager, Five Colleges, Incorporated -
Mount Holyoke College
Being a new member and a new risk manager, I can honestly say that I would
be lost without URMIA. Being the only person in my department, I really don't
have anyone to turn to when I need help. URMIA members are always there. The
list serve is one of the best assets the group has. It is a way to do a very
quick query and get a ton of information - usually within minutes!
The conference was great. I met a lot of great people and learned a lot about being a risk manager.
I also had a lot of fun! Remember, I won that Hula Hoop contest at the UE party!
When I first started in May, my boss, who formerly handled risk management in addition to
running the purchasing department and spearheading the committee for a new financial
software package, encouraged me to get involved and take advantage of all the
benefits I could. He was thrilled that I volunteered to work on the '99 conference.
Stephanie Eakins - Catholic University of America
Those are the responses from just a few of our members.
Talk to some other members. We think it's a great organization and worth
every penny of the annual dues. For more information on joining, contact our Membership Committee Chair, Barbara Schatzer, ARM, Director, Risk Management, University of San Diego, (619-260-7677).
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