Indemnity Disclosure
The Per Diem rates and the service charges of the DAR do not include provisions to collect funds into a pool to pay indemnities in the case of DAR error, natural disaster, technological malfunction, unforeseen/unpayable expenses, or other events or conditions that may confound or ruin experiments, adversely affect budgets, or result in animal distress or mortality.
This is a long-standing policy and procedure of the DAR dating to approximately 1998 and enacted and perpetuated with the knowledge and consent of the Dean's Office of the School of Medicine, the faculty Animal Resources Advisory Committee (ARAC), and the Office of the Vice President for Research Administration of Emory University. This arrangement has enabled the DAR historically to keep rates low and among the most nationally competitive for most fee-related activities, although admittedly it does mean that persons or activities truly victimized by errors do retrospectively take-on disproportionate risk and harm. This guiding principle, however, also has the inherent advantage that DAR must disclose all errors and adverse events to university leadership, must take ownership for the lessons learned and related necessary improvements, and prevents the DAR from making deals and buying silence.
Given that the DAR has neither the funds nor the authority to pay indemnities whether culpable or not, appeals for financial restitution must thereby be made by the aggrieved party to the Executive Associate Dean for Research for the School of Medicine.
Michael J. Huerkamp, DVM, DACLAM
Director, Division of Animal Resources
June 10, 2011