Archive for Need to Know

Four Mothers Will Never Spend the Holidays with Their Child Again

December 13, 2012 ClearCause Need to Know No comments

DangerExecutive director Sheryl Hill was recently quoted in a USA Today article, “Death Highlights Risks of Study Abroad Programs.”

Casey Schulman (VA), Morgan Lide (GA), Joshua Shane (AZ) and Ravi Thackurdeen (NY) will not be ‘home’ for the holidays ever again.  All four died in water accidents.

Comments like, “Most of them come back safe” aren’t helping.  Most is not good enough for ClearCause.  There are no federal laws, oversight, minimum qualifications or standards, nor mandated transparent reporting in the youth travel and study abroad industry.  Some of these students are sponsored by US Department of State study abroad grants using your tax dollars. Read more

Three Boston University Students Killed in New Zealand Crash

May 15, 2012 ClearCause Need to Know No comments

Three Boston University students, Daniela Lekho, Roch Jauberty and Austin Brashears, lost their lives Saturday, May 12, 2012 near Taupo, New Zealand when the minivan they were traveling in rolled over.

Road fatalities in New Zealand are among the highest in the world, particularly for young inexperienced students.  On a per capita basis New Zealand is alongside Cambodia, Malaysia, Lithuania and Slovenia.

Unfortunately, despite the high road fatalities in New Zealand, their national government permits any foreigner to drive with the permit they were issued ‘back home’ for up to twelve months. Read more

YOU NEED TO KNOW – Minnesota Deputy Secretary Jim Gelbmann

May 2, 2012 ClearCause Need to Know No comments

There is a statute in Minnesota that gives the Minnesota Secretary of State, Mark Ritchie, the power to sanction programs who place foreign exchange students in harms way: MN Statute 5A.01-07

Deputy Secretary Jim Gelbmann, is one of the champions behind the law.  Minnesota Representative Phyliss Kahn sponsored the bill. Mr. Gelbmann’s interview with WCCO’s Don Shelby explains why and how the law came about.  The law gives Minnesota the power to investigate and terminate registrations of organizations that don’t meet standards set by the state of Minnesota. Similar law to protect Minnesota students going abroad are non-existent. Read more

YOU NEED TO KNOW – Binge Drinking Kills

April 10, 2012 ClearCause Need to Know No comments

The Center for Disease Control reports that “about 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.”  TODAY stated that up to 42% of college students binge drink.

Binge drinking caused 19 year old star student Molly Amman’s death.  Her friends put her to bed to sleep it off but she never woke up.  She’s not alone.

Read more

YOU NEED TO KNOW – About Crispin Scott

March 20, 2012 ClearCause Need to Know No comments
Developing: Spanish Authorities Say Dartmouth’s Crispin Scott ’13 was Drugged and Murdered in Barcelona

BY  | FEBRUARY 11, 2012 AT 7:19 PM

“Unfortunately, this is another sad story with date, name and location changes.  Perhaps my perspective is different from some, but tragedies such as this have linkage to diminished university managerial oversight and the failure of pre-departure parental and student education. Although many universities view college students as “adults,” they are only adult-sized. Understandably, they lack experience, particularly when catapulted into a culture not of their own. Sadly, these types of incidents will continue to occur until such time as assumptions [are not made]. Responsibility for oversight should fall with the Feds.”  ClearCause Chief Security Officer Ed Lee

« Older Entries