5.08 - Minors on College Property Policy

Purpose

To promote the well-being and security of minors during their participation in various Kansas City Kansas Community College programs. This policy is intended to support a safe, inviting, and productive environment for minors to participate in various programs to achieve their goals within the mission of the College.

Definitions

Minor: Any unemancipated person under 18 years of age (K.S.A. §38-101)

Program: Programs and/or activities offered by various academic or administrative units of the College, or by other groups using College facilities. This includes, but is not limited to workshops, sport camps, academic camps conferences, etc.

Program Director: The individual with responsibility for the operation of the Program.

Program Staff: Individuals, paid or unpaid, who interact with, supervise, chaperone, or otherwise oversee minors in Program activities or recreational and/or residential facilities. This includes but is not limited to faculty, staff, volunteers, students, interns, employees of temporary employment agencies, and independent contractors. This definition does not include temporary guest speakers, presenters and other individuals who have no direct contact with program participants other than short-term activities supervised by Program Staff.

Policy Statement

The College recognizes that minors may be present on College property for a variety of legitimate reasons. Employees and students are to be particularly vigilant regarding the safety and security of minors on campus. Program Staff should behave professionally and maintain the highest standards of personal behavior at all times.

This Policy requires appropriate adult supervision for all minors on College property at all times. The College believes that it is in the best interest of minors and members of the College community that minors shall not be unattended or unsupervised while on campus in any circumstance. When minors are on campus as part of an official College activity or event, the program staff responsible for the activity or event are responsible for ensuring minors are supervised while on campus. When minors are on campus accompanying current students and/or employees, the current student and/or employee is responsible for ensuring minors are supervised at all times.

Non-student minors are not permitted to attend class sessions with parents or guardians who are College students because this creates the possibility for disruption in the classroom and detracts from the delivery of course information.

Background Screening

All Program Staff who may have contact with participants must be thoroughly screened, including a background check on all such individuals. At a minimum, the background check should include: federal and state criminal records (felony and misdemeanor) for the past seven years; and federal and state sex offender and child abuse registries. For College sponsored Programs, the Human Resources department will coordinate access to the background check provider and/or be responsible for auditing the outcome of the required background check.

Communication and Emergency Notification

The Program Director shall establish procedures for the notification of the minor’s parent/legal guardian in case of an emergency, including medical or behavioral problem, natural disasters, or other significant Program disruptions. Program Staff, as well as participants and their parents/legal guardians, must be advised of this procedure in writing prior to the participation of the minors in the Program.

Documentation

All documentation related to the Program, including but not limited to, registration materials, emergency contact forms, waivers of liability, program rules of conduct, access of specific facilities, training conducted, et cetera, will be retained with the Program Director and their department and made available upon request by Human Resources or administration.

Reporting

Program Staff must make all reasonable efforts to ensure the safety of minors participating in Programs, including removal of minors from dangerous or potentially dangerous situations, irrespective of any other limitation or requirement.

If a program participant discloses any type of assault or abuse (at any time previous to, during, or after the Program), or if a Program Staff member has reason to believe that the participant has been subject to such assault or abuse, in accordance with the College’s crime reporting policy, the Program Staff member must immediately report the matter to the Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kansas Protection Report Center, at 1-800-922-5330 and the College Police Department. In the event of an emergency, the Program Staff member must immediately contact local law enforcement, College Police or call 911.

If an allegation of inappropriate conduct has been made against a Program Staff member, the Program Staff member shall discontinue any further participation in Programs and activities covered by this policy until such allegation has been satisfactorily resolved. Program Staff who are College employees may be subject to appropriate disciplinary action upon the resolution of an allegation.

Exclusions

The following exceptions are NOT subject to minors on campus procedures:

• Minors who are enrolled as students or are enrolled high school students (to which all other College policies apply)
• Youth visitors, individually or in groups, for single-day activities not initiated or supervised by College Program Staff
• Office of Admissions or other departmental recruiting visit programs which involve youth visiting campus with their parents, legal guardians, or any other adult acting as guardian for the event
• Incidental visits by individual youth interacting with College faculty or staff, but not as part of a coordinated program offering, e.g., tours of facilities, visiting a family member at work
• Performances, activities, or events open to the general public