{"id":818,"date":"2024-12-18T17:05:17","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T17:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/?page_id=818"},"modified":"2026-05-07T12:13:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T12:13:46","slug":"policy-081900","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/?page_id=818","title":{"rendered":"POLICY 08:19:00"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MINORS ON CAMPUS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPellissippi State Community College as an institution of higher education must preserveconditions that permit a safe environment for learning and working.\n\nPolicy Objective:\n\nIn accordance with the Tennessee Board of Regents Policy 7.04.00.00, Pellissippi State Community College (\u201cthe college\u201d) as an institution of higher education must preserve conditions that promote a safe environment for learning and working. The purpose of this policy is to ensure a safe environment for minors by fostering a culture that is committed to preventing, recognizing, reporting, and addressing child abuse and child sexual abuse. Minors visit our campuses for a variety of reasons, which include participation in programs and activities sponsored by the college; acceptable visitation purposes as minor children of students and employees; and programs and activities sponsored by third parties using college facilities and resources.\n\nPolicy Definitions\n\nAcceptable Visitation: The term \u201cacceptable visitation\u201d means:\n
  1. Employee or student is a minor and is enrolled in a credit\/non-credit course;\n<\/li>
  2. Employee or student bringing an infant or small child for a brief social visit with peers, supervisors, or instructors;\n<\/li>
  3. With supervisor or instructor permission and under certain limited and unforeseen circumstances (such as school closings), an employee or student bringing a minor child to a class or to work with the following restrictions:\n
    1. Minor child cannot be ill\n<\/li>
    2. Minor child cannot be disruptive\n<\/li>
    3. Minor child must be supervised by the parent\/guardian\n<\/li>
    4. Minor child cannot be left unattended while the employee\/student is in class\n<\/li>
    5. Minor child cannot be left with a fellow student or co-worker\n<\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol>\nCovered Adult: The term \u201ccovered adult\u201d means a person:\n
      1. Who is eighteen (18) years of age or older; and\n<\/li>
      2. Who is an employee (regular, term appointment, student, full-time, part-time) of, or a person in a contractual or volunteer position with the college.Covered Program: \n<\/li><\/ol>\nThe term \u201ccovered program\u201d means:\n
        1. A program or activity in which minors may participate that is sponsored by the college; or\n<\/li>
        2. A program or activity in which minors may participate that is sponsored by an entity other than the college and involves use of college owned or controlled facilities\/resources.\n<\/li><\/ol>\nCovered Program does not include:\n
          1. A program or activity that requires each minor to be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian;\n<\/li>
          2. A program or activity designed primarily for enrolled Pellissippi State students, including dual enrollment, credit courses, and community service projects organized by the college;\n<\/li>
          3. A program or activity open to the general public;\n<\/li>
          4. A program or activity using the college\u2019s facilities that is conducted by other educational institutions, including but not limited to local K-12 schools, such as science fairs or Destination Imagination;\n<\/li>
          5. Orientation and campus tour programs;\n<\/li>
          6. Field trips supervised by a minor participant\u2019s school or organization and not sponsoredby the college;\n<\/li>
          7. Social functions that may be attended by minors accompanied by a parent or guardian;\n<\/li>
          8. Student teaching practicums.\n<\/li><\/ol>\nQuestions regarding whether a program\/activity is subject to this policy should be addressed to the Office of Human Resources.\n\nDisruptive: Any behavior that could reasonably be found to be distracting, loud, boisterous, or inappropriate for a working or learning environment.\n\nMinor\/Child: The term \u201cminor\/child\u201d means a person who is under eighteen (18) years of age oris reasonably presumed to be under eighteen (18) years of age.\n\nProgram director: The term \u201cprogram director\u201d means the person primarily responsible for the management and oversight of a Covered Program, including identifying all Covered Adults and ensuring the Covered Program\u2019s compliance with this policy. With respect to a Covered Program not sponsored by the college, the Program director is the college employee who serves as the primary college contact with the third party who is sponsoring the Covered Program.\n\nPrevention of Child Abuse\n\nTraining: The Office of Human Resources will develop and deliver training programs that Covered Adults and program directors will use to learn how to prevent, recognize, and address child abuse. \nThe training program willbe offered and required every other year to new program directors and covered adults, and, at a minimum, address the following topics:\n
            1. Definition of child abuse;\n<\/li>
            2. Signs, symptoms, and effects of child abuse;\n<\/li>
            3. Response to suspected child abuse, including but not limited to reporting suspected child abuse under Tennessee law and this policy; and\n<\/li>
            4. Child abuse prevention strategies.\n<\/li><\/ol>\nBackground Check: The following provisions related to background checks shall apply to all Covered Programs sponsored by the college.\n
              1. Criminal background checks shall be conducted on all Covered Adults no less frequently than every four (4) years.\n<\/li>
              2. Criminal background checks shall include, but not be limited to, a search on the National Sex Offender public website.\n<\/li>
              3. Program directors are responsible to ensure that the Office of Human Resources is notified of Covered Adults participating in Covered Programs prior to the event.\n<\/li>
              4. Criminal background checks should be conducted under the direction of the Office of Human Resources.\n<\/li>
              5. Student volunteers who are actively enrolled in the college are not required to submit to a criminal background check, but a National Sex Offender public website, Tennessee Felony Offender registry, and the Tennessee Department of Health\u2019s online abuse registry must be checked prior to participation in the Covered Program prior to the event.\n<\/li>
              6. If a person\u2019s criminal background check indicates a conviction of any sexual offense; any offense against children; battery or assault; drug distribution offense or felony drug possession; homicide; kidnapping; or any felony or crime involving moral turpitude, the Office of Human Resources shall determine appropriate action in consultation with college legal counsel and the President of the college.\n<\/li>
              7. If it is decided that a Covered Adult is ineligible to volunteer, Human Resources will immediately contact the Covered Adult and the Program Director.\n<\/li><\/ol>\nExceptions to Background Check: Covered Programs for which a large number of college volunteers \n(students, community members, and employees) are essential may elect to adopt preventive measures as outlined below in lieu of criminal background checks and training, but only with the prior written approval of Office of Human Resources and the President of the college. If an exception is granted, the program director applying this exception shall:\n
                1. Ensure that all volunteers are checked and cleared using the National Sex Offender public website, Tennessee Felony Offender registry, and the Tennessee Department of Health\u2019s (TDOH) online abuse registry prior to participating in the Covered Program.\n<\/li>
                2. Ensure that all volunteers work in a public place during the Covered Program, are supervised by a Covered Adult who has undergone a criminal background check, and present photo identification prior to the participation in the Covered Program.\n<\/li>
                3. Ensure that all volunteers sign the Volunteer Statement of Understanding\/Agreement form pursuant to State law.\n<\/li>
                4. Completed required documentation should be routed to Human Resources. <\/li><\/ol>\nAdditionally, for Covered Programs not sponsored by the college, the program director shall require the sponsor of the Covered Program to sign an agreement to indemnify and hold harmless the college for the acts or omissions of the program participants or the sponsor\u2019s employees or agents.\n\nReporting Requirements\n\nExternal: Tennessee law mandates reporting by any person who has knowledge of physical or mental harm to a child if: 1) the nature of the harm reasonably indicates it was caused by brutality, abuse, or neglect; or 2) on the basis of available information, the harm reasonably appears to have been caused by brutality, abuse, or neglect. Tennessee law also mandates reporting by any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been sexually abused, regardless of whether the child has sustained an apparent injury as a result of the abuse.\nThe Tennessee mandatory reporting laws apply to all college employees, contractors, and volunteers, even if they are not Covered Adults subject to the other sections of this policy, and even if the child abuse or child sexual abuse does not occur in connection with a Covered Program.\nA report of child abuse or child sexual abuse must be made immediately to the following authority outside of the college:\nThe Tennessee Department of Children\u2019s Services (call the Central Intake Child Abuse Hotlineat 1-877- 542-2873 or 1-877-237-0004).\nTennessee law provides immunity from civil and criminal liability for any person who makes a good faith report of suspected child abuse or child sexual abuse. In addition, no person making a good faith report of suspected child abuse or child sexual abuse, or participating in an investigation, shall be subject to retaliation by the college.\n\nInternal: Reporting to college Police, a supervisor, or any other college official or employee does not satisfy the legal duty to report child abuse. However, after reporting child abuse to theTennessee Department of Children\u2019s Services, a college employee shall also provide notice ofthe report to their supervisor and the college Police. Upon receiving such a report, theemployee\u2019s supervisor and the college Police shall ensure that the Tennessee mandatory reporting statute has been followed and appropriately report to college officials such as college legal counsel, the President, the Executive Director of Marketing & Communications, the Executive Director of Human Resources, the Executive Director of Institutional Compliance, and\/or the Dean of Students. These individuals shall ensure Clery Act compliance and evaluate whether there is also a legal duty to report the incident as a crime statistic.\n\nStandards of Conduct: Related to Covered Programs and Covered Adults Covered Adults shall not:\n
                  1. Be alone in a vehicle with a minor, regardless of parent\/guardian express or implied permission.\n<\/li>
                  2. Utilize college facilities and resources to interact with minors outside of the scheduled time of the Covered Program.\n<\/li>
                  3. Have unsupervised contact with a minor unless one-on-one unsupervised contact is essential to the Covered Program and approved in writing by the program director.\n<\/li>
                  4. Have physical contact or communication (either in person or electronically) with minors, except as appropriate to the nature of the Covered Program.\n<\/li>
                  5. Meet a minor off of the site of the Covered Program or after the hours of the Program, even if another Covered Adult is present.\n<\/li>
                  6. Strike, shake, slap, administer corporal punishment to, or touch in an inappropriate manner or illegal manner, any minor.\n<\/li>
                  7. Humiliate, ridicule, threaten, or degrade a minor.\n<\/li>
                  8. Sleep in the same room or other enclosed space (such as a tent) as a minor, unless you are a parent\/legal guardian\/sibling of said minor.\n<\/li>
                  9. Shower or take a bath with a minor or in the presence of a minor.\n<\/li>
                  10. Dress or undress in the presence of a minor.\n<\/li>
                  11. Invade the privacy of minors by intruding in situations such as changing clothes and taking showers, unless health and safety requires intrusion.\n<\/li>
                  12. Use any language that encourages a minor to keep a secret from a parent\/guardian.\n<\/li>
                  13. Wear inappropriate clothing,, as determined by the program director, when interacting with minors.\n<\/li>
                  14. Possess or engage in the use of alcohol or illegal drugs, or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, during the Program.\n<\/li>
                  15. Provide alcohol or illegal drugs to a minor, or provide prescription drugs or any other medication to a minor.\n<\/li>
                  16. Take a photograph or video of a minor or post information about a minor on the Internetwithout the written permission of the minor\u2019s parent or guardian.\n<\/li>
                  17. Give a personal gift to a minor.\n<\/li>
                  18. View pornography during the Program, or make any form of pornography available to a minor participating in the Program, or assist a minor in any way in gaining access to any form of pornography.\n<\/li>
                  19. Permit minor children in spaces where inherent dangers exist such as, but not limited to, biology\/chemistry labs, some art labs, the welding lab, etc.\n<\/li><\/ol>\nCollege Employees and Students\n\nAs stated above, there may be times when a student requests to bring a child to class in order not to miss class or an employee requests to bring a child to work in order not to miss work. These are considered limited, non-recurring events that may be permitted by the instructor or the supervisor. \nThese are not to be routine or regular events, and under no circumstance should a sick child be brought to the college. In these scenarios, the parent\/guardian must have the child stay with them; not ask another student or co-worker to watch the child; not leave the child unattended in a classroom, common area, car, or office; and remove the child if the child causes a disruption. The student or parent assumes full and complete responsibility for the child while on campus.\nEnforcement of the above and correction if the parameters are not met lies with the instructor if the person is a student or the supervisor if the person is an employee. Where it is not clear who the instructor or supervisor is, enforcement will lie with the administrator addressing the disruption.\n\nThe college Police Department should be contacted immediately when minor children are foundto be unattended. \n\nQuestions regarding this policy should be directed to the Department of Human Resources.\n\nApproved: Executive Council, March 4, 1991\nExecutive Council, December 2, 1991\nEditorial Changes, May 3, 1993\nApproved: President Allen G. Edwards, October 10, 2001\nReviewed: President\u2019s Staff, October 9, 2006\nApproved: President Allen G. Edwards, October 9, 2006 \nEditorial Changes: July 1, 2009\nReviewed\/No changes, October 31, 2011\nApproved: President L. Anthony Wise, Jr., October 31, 2011\nReviewed\/Recommended: President\u2019s Council, March 28, 2016\nApproved: President L. Anthony Wise, Jr., March 28, 2016\nReviewed\/Recommended: President\u2019s Council, March 9, 2020 \nApproved: President L Anthony Wise, Jr., March 9, 2020\nReview\/Recommended: College Council, May 4, 2026\nApproved: President L. Anthony Wise, Jr., May 4, 2026\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    MINORS ON CAMPUS Pellissippi State Community College as an institution of higher education must preserveconditions that permit a safe environment for learning and working. Policy Objective: In accordance with the Tennessee Board of Regents Policy 7.04.00.00, Pellissippi State Community College (\u201cthe college\u201d) as an institution of higher education must preserve conditions that promote a safe […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"policy-template-1","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-818","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=818"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/818\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1366,"href":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/818\/revisions\/1366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/policies.pstcc.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}