Waivers: Get One Consent at a Time

Informed consent should be a prerequisite for participating in a host of voluntary activities, such as student involvement in athletic teams, experiential learning, and community use of campus fitness facilities. Rather than having people sign a generic consent form, your K-12 school, college, or university should draft releases specific to events and share copies with each participant. 

Whether it is an assumption of risk, waiver, or release form, the document is intended to be a legally binding agreement informing participants of risks and guarding your institution from liability. Providing participants with documents that describe the risks associated with the activity enables them to reflect and ask questions about the document before signing it. 

United Educators’ (UE’s) Checklist: Drafting Effective Releases outlines important elements to consider when drafting or revising a release. 

These sample releases demonstrate many points the checklist identifies: 

• University of California: Office of the President, Waivers and Releases
• Goucher University: Aquatic Center Participation Release 

Note, however, that these releases are not narrowly tailored to your institution’s specific activities or your state’s laws and do not constitute legal advice. Do not rely on sample releases without seeking an attorney’s advice. 

More From UE 

Minors and the Use of Releases 

Establish Enforceable Electronic Waivers 

Releases and Assumption of Risk Forms in Concussion Management 

Contracts and Waivers Resource Collection