Protection of Minors on Campus Policy

 

Purpose:

Willamette University is committed to the safety and health of our community members. For the purpose of this policy, Willamette University defines community broadly to include not only faculty, staff, students, volunteers, trustees, and administrators, but any visitor to our campus or participant in an off-campus program administered or sponsored by any division of Willamette University. Willamette University recognizes our particular obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of minors on our campus, including but not limited to enrolled
minor students, prospective minor students, and minor participants in camps, workshops, outreach activities, and academic programming. This policy applies to any person representing Willamette University in any capacity.


This policy provides definitions, guidelines, information, and expectations for interactions with minors on the Willamette University campus, at any off-campus program administered or supported by any division of Willamette University, or at any outreach event where Willamette University is represented. Additionally, this policy establishes requirements for any programming offered by Willamette University or supported by any University division wherein minors are either the targeted program demographic or where minors are likely to be participants. This policy also covers Mandatory Reporting Procedures. All Willamette University employees, regardless of their role, are required by Oregon law to follow Mandatory Reporting Procedures if they have reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect.


Statement of Compliance with Federal and State Law
Willamette University’s Protection of Minors Policy supports compliance with Title IX and the Clery Act and other federal, state, and local laws, including statutes requiring the mandatory reporting of child abuse or neglect. In the event of a conflict between this policy and federal, state, or local law, or to the extent that federal, state, or local laws already control an activity, the appropriate federal, state, or local law supersedes this policy.

Definitions related to this Policy:

Background Check means a check of a person’s criminal convictions and background. A background check will be coordinated through Human Resources pursuant to the Background Check Policy for Employees and Volunteers, which also applies to Willamette University students serving in a Covered Program as defined below.

Campus means the grounds and buildings of Willamette University.

Care, Custody, or Control of Minors means that a covered person has primary responsibility for the supervision and well-being of minor attendees of a Covered Program.

Child Abuse means any behavior defined as abuse of a minor under Oregon law (ORS 419B.005), including but not limited to:

a. Assault or physical injury caused by non-accidental means including any injury which
appears to be at variance with the explanation given of the injury;
b. Any mental injury to a child that leads to observable and substantial impairment of the
child’s mental or psychological ability to function caused by cruelty to the child;
c. Rape of a child, which includes but is not limited to rape, sodomy, unlawful sexual
penetration and incest;
d. Sexual abuse of a child;
e. Sexual exploitation of a child;
f. Negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child, including but not limited to the failure to
provide adequate food, clothing, shelter or medical care that is likely to endanger the health or
welfare of the child;
g. Threatened harm to a child, which means subjecting a child to a substantial risk of harm to the child’s health or welfare;
h. Buying or selling a person under 18 years of age;
i. Permitting a person under 18 years of age to enter or remain in or upon premises where
methamphetamines are being manufactured; or
j. Unlawful exposure to a controlled substance.

Covered Person means any faculty, staff, student, volunteer, or trustee, serving in a Covered Program.

Covered Program means any on-campus or off-campus program administered or supported by any division or department of Willamette University or any outreach event where Willamette University is represented, including exclusively online programs, in which any Covered Person is responsible for the Care, Custody, or Control of Minors. Examples of Covered Programs include but are not limited to day camps, clinics, instructional programs, summer programs, sports camps, activity days, tutoring programs, and workshops. Covered Programs do not include:

● Graduate or undergraduate classes, programs, or activities in which the only minors present are a Minor Student (defined below); or
● The overnight hosting program for prospective students which is covered by separate guidelines maintained by the College of Arts and Sciences Office of Admissions; or
● Events open to the public that minors may attend where the university does not accept Care, Custody, or Control of the Minor.

Employee means any individual on the payroll of Willamette University including student and temporary workers.

Mandatory Reporter means an individual required by law to report suspected child abuse.

Minor means any person under the age of 18.

Minor Student means any student under the age of 18 enrolled in a degree program at Willamette University. Students under the age of 18 enrolled as Gifted Scholars at Willamette University are specifically excluded from this definition. Additionally, students enrolled in community outreach programs through Willamette University, including Willamette Academy, are not Minor Students. Unless otherwise noted, the use of the term“Minor” in this Policy does not include “Minor Student.”

Person In Charge means a covered person who is primarily responsible for coordinating and administering a covered program. A Person In Charge may designate other Covered Persons to assist in programming responsibilities.

Volunteer means any individual who provides services on the behalf of Willamette University without compensation and without expectation of compensation beyond reimbursement of expenses. All Volunteers must complete the volunteer onboarding process through Human Resources.

Policy:

  1. Mandatory Reporting Procedures
    1. Willamette University Employees are Mandatory Reporters under Oregon law. As Mandatory Reporters, any Willamette University Employee with reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect has a legal obligation to report suspected abuse or neglect at all times and in all situations, including outside of work hours and outside the scope of their employment.
    2. Any Covered Person who is acting as program or support personnel in any capacity at a program sponsored by, supported by, or administered by Willamette University also has an obligation to report suspected abuse or neglect discovered or reasonably suspected related to Willamette University programming, regardless of whether the program or event occurred on or off campus.
    3. A report under the Mandatory Reporting requirement must be made immediately either by telephone to the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) at 1-855-503-SAFE (7233) or to a law enforcement agency within the county where the person is located at the time of the report. If a Minor is in imminent danger, it must be reported to 911.
    4. In addition to reporting externally, Willamette University Employees must notify Campus Safety immediately at (503) 370-6911 to report any suspected child abuse or neglect occurring at or in association with any Willamette University programming.                                                                                                                                                                                                    
  2. Behavioral Standards for Interacting with Minors
    1. These standards apply to interactions between a Minor and a Covered Person that occur on Campus or at any Covered Program.
    2. All one-on-one interactions occurring on Campus or at a Covered Program between a Minor and a Covered Person who is not the parent or guardian of that Minor are prohibited unless occurring within an observable and interruptible distance of another adult.
    3. Covered Persons who interact with Minors on Campus or at a Covered Program elsewhere must adhere to all applicable laws and university policies.
    4. Corporal or physical punishment of Minors is strictly forbidden on campus and at any Covered Program elsewhere.
    5. Covered Persons must immediately report any new criminal conviction or a new registered sex offender designation to the Human Resources Office by calling (503) 370-6210.
    6. Electronic interactions including texting, “friending” or “following” on social media, or otherwise messaging with Minor participants of a Covered Program are forbidden outside of sanctioned activities.
    7. Any violation of any of these rules must be reported immediately to Campus Safety by calling (503) 370-6911.
    8. Review “Standards for Interacting with Minors” information for additional best practice behavioral standards.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
  3. Employment of Minors
    1. Willamette University employees must be 18 years of age or older. This age restriction does not apply to Minor Students. 
  4. Transportation of Minors
    1. The university strictly prohibits employees, students, or volunteers from transporting minors. If transportation is necessary as part of a program, a professional transportation company must be hired.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
  5. Visiting Minor Guests of Employees or Students
    1. Employees or students bringing minors to campus are responsible for their behavior and well-being. Minors must remain under the supervision of their parents, guardians or hosts while on campus.
    2. In general, minor visits to campus during the regular work and school day should be the exception, and may require appropriate supervisory or decanal approval.                                                                                                                                                                   
  6. Requirements for Covered Programs
    1. In addition to the Behavioral Standards described above, the following requirements apply to any Covered Programs. These requirements must be communicated to and followed by external partners involved in Covered Programs on or off campus.
    2. Any person who is planning or coordinating a Covered Program must register their program with the Office of Risk Management at least 30 days before the programming is slated to begin. Registration information can be found on the Office of Risk Management webpage.
    3. For Covered Programs that are ongoing (e.g. student organizations with tutoring programs, etc.), the Person In Charge must register the program through the Office of Risk Management at all of the timepoints identified below.
      1. When a Covered Program begins;
      2. When a Covered Program ends;
      3. At any time there is a change in the Person In Charge;
      4. At any time there are substantial changes to the program that alter the way in which interactions between Minors and Covered Persons occur;
      5. Annually between January 2 and January 15. Covered Programs that begin with the new Academic Year may re-register at that time.   
    4. The Office of Risk Management will notify the Person In Charge of any potential issues.
    5. A Covered Program must only be staffed by a Covered Person. Background checks must be performed for Covered Persons who work with Minors. The Person In Charge is required to fill out the Background Check Request Form provided by Human Resources to begin the background check process. The Person In Charge must confirm that background checks have been completed satisfactorily. Background checks must be completed before Covered Persons interact with Minors. Covered Persons who have a background check on file that is more than five years old will be required to undergo a new background check.
    6. Alcohol is not permitted to be present at any event where Minors are the focus of the event. Additionally, Covered Persons may not consume alcohol in the presence of Minor program participants.
    7. Minor participants in Covered Programs must be supervised at all times. All Covered Programs must incorporate a clear process for the transfer of the care of Minor participants from and to their parent or guardian to one or more Covered Persons at the beginning and end of the program, respectively (i.e., established sign-in and sign-out procedures) or, alternately, a parent or guardian must remain with the Minor participant during the program.
    8. All Covered Programs must have a sufficient number of staff to supervise Minor participants. The university requires a minimum supervision ratio for Covered Programs of one staff or volunteer for every ten minors. The university may require higher level staffing ratios depending on the programming and age of participants.
    9. The Person in Charge is responsible for ensuring that all Covered Persons comply with any training requirements identified by the Office of Risk Management or their designee. Training must be completed before Covered Persons interact with Minors. See required training information below.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
  7. Mandatory Training Requirements for Covered Programming
    1. Mandatory training requirements for Covered Programs include information on child abuse awareness and prevention, reporting suspected child abuse and neglect, Protection of Minors Policy requirements, and best practices for Standards for Interacting with Minors. Training must be completed by all Covered Persons and is administered through Workday. For questions related to required training, contact the Office of Risk Management at (503) 375-5443.                                                                                                                                                          
  8. Libraries and Museums
    1. The Hatfield Library, PNCA Library, and Hallie Ford Museum of Art are open to the public, and have policies on minors accessing their facilities, which can be viewed on their websites.                                                                                                                                              

      Effective Date: 02/01/2022
      Last Review Date: N/A
      Next Anticipated Review: 01/01/2024
      Responsible Person/Primary Contact: Director of Risk Management
      Responsible University Office: Risk Management
Willamette University
Address
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-375-5443

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