Protection of Minors on Southern Utah University Campus and at University-Sponsored Events

All programs and activities involving minors covered under the Policy for Protection of Minors must be registered with the Office of Enterprise Risk Management. As a Program Director, you are responsible for registering your program or activity by completing the online Registration Form for Programs with Minors Please register your program or activity involving minors as early as possible to provide ample time for the Risk Management staff to assist you in complying with each of the policy requirements.

Program Directors are expected to prepare the following information about their programs:

1. Prepare a list of activities the participants will be participating in.
2. Identify all the risks associated with your activities.
3. List rules you would like your participants to follow to help mitigate risk.
4. Develop an ADA request response plan.

At least 30 days prior to the program start date, a roster of the individuals who will be working directly with, supervising, or otherwise overseeing minors in a program or activity (Program Staff) must be submitted to ERM. After completing the Registration Form for Programs with Minors, Program Directors will receive an email containing a URL to the program’s Roster Submission Form for Program Staff. This URL must be shared with each program staff member for completion. As Program Staff complete their forms electronically, an Excel formatted roster of Program Staff will be created and shared with the Program Director and the ERM office via Google docs.

A roster of the minor(s) participating in the program or activity (Program Participant(s)) must also be submitted to the ERM office using the Roster Submission Form for Program Participants, which is included in the email sent to Program Directors during step 1. After completing the online Registration Form for Programs with Minors, Program Directors will be sent an email with a URL that should be shared with the parents/legal guardians of Program Participants for completion. As parents/legal guardians of the Program Participants complete the form electronically, an Excel formatted roster of program participants will be created and shared with the Program Director and the ERM office via Google docs.

When parents/legal guardians of Program Participants complete the Roster Submission Form, they will be prompted to complete and sign the online Activity Participation Agreement. This form must be collected, or verified electronically, by the Program Director before Program Participants may participate in the program. Please note that Program Directors may have to determine the best method for disseminating and collecting these forms from the parents/legal guardians of program participants. Hard copy versions of the Agreement can be created. Contact the ERM office for more information.

The Activity Participation Agreement also allows parents/legal guardians of Program Participants to self-disclose any accommodations their child may need. If an accommodation is needed, the Project Director is responsible for contacting the parent/legal guardian for more details and coordinating accommodations with the SUU Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer. The Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer will take the lead in this interactive process and, in some circumstances, will contract with a licensed healthcare professional to provide accommodations. The Program Director and Staff should NOT collect, manage, or administer any medication for program participants. Please refer to the Guidelines for Program Directors Regarding ADA for more information.

The Activity Participation Agreement also includes the participant’s emergency contact information. Program Directors are responsible for verifying the completion of the Agreement and having it readily available during the Activity.

Staffing for supervision of minors may vary depending on the type of program, the activities involved, and requirements imposed by the Program Director. However, at a minimum, the following supervising staff to minors ratios must be met:

When Program Staff complete the Roster Submission Form, they will be prompted to complete and sign the online Statement of Acknowledgment form, which must be completed by Authorized Adults and all individuals who work in covered Programs. If the Program Staff is a volunteer, you will need to complete the supervisor section of the Volunteer Services Form (Supervisor Section). After completing the Volunteer Services Form, you will receive an email with a URL that needs to be shared with each volunteer for completion. Program Directors will receive a copy of these forms automatically via email and are responsible for verifying the completion of these forms on the Roster Submission Form for Program Staff Google Docs.

Program Directors are required to ensure that Program Staff receive training as required by the Minors on Campus and at University-Sponsored Events Policy on the topics listed below:

• Recognizing sexual abuse, child abuse and neglect and obligations and avenues to report suspected incidents
• Instruction on the prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment
• Appropriate ratio of supervising staff to minors
• Rules of conduct for Authorized Adults
• Accessing emergency services on or off-campus

Resource materials to assist with training on these and other related topics are also available on this site in the Resource & Training Materials section. The resource list includes links to an online training module. See Step 2 in the section Requirements for Program Authorized Adults and Volunteer for more information on training.

Program Directors are responsible for ensuring the completion of Background Checks of Authorized Adults and recording the completion of background checks on the Roster Submission Form for Program Staff.

Authorized Adults are defined as individuals 18 years of age or older, whether paid or unpaid, who interact with, supervise, chaperone, or otherwise oversee, or have access to, Minors in university-sponsored or co-sponsored programs/activities. This includes but is not limited to faculty, staff, volunteers, graduate and undergraduate students, interns, employees of temporary employment agencies, independent contractors/consultants, and on-campus vendors. 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 an authorized adult.

Direct Contact is defined as providing care, supervision, guidance, or control of Minors, and/or routine interaction with Minors.

LiveScan Fingerprint background checks are required for all Authorized Adults who have Direct Contact with Minors. The sponsoring or co-sponsoring department of the covered Program is responsible for the cost of the LiveScan background check of $38.25 per applicant and the SUU Police Department fee of $20 per applicant. The Human Resources office and the SUU Police Department will bill the sponsoring or co-sponsoring department for these costs at the end of the Program’s event. Program Directors must provide a billing index on the Registration Form for Programs with Minors, the Roster Submission Form for Program Staff, and the SUU LiveScan Fingerprint Authorization Form for Authorized Adults Working with Minors. The Program Director must also review and sign the SUU LiveScan Fingerprint Authorization Form for Authorized Adults Working with Minors and make sure that each applicant for a LiveScan Fingerprint background check completes the Consent to Background Check form, which is included in the email sent to the director during step 1.

Individuals who work in covered Programs but do not have Direct Contact with Non-Enrolled Minors as defined by policy 5.64 and who have not undergone a background check may be allowed to work in a covered Program with approval from the Office of Enterprise Risk Management and when the following circumstances are met:

1. Non-background check individuals must work in public places and never be left alone with Non-Enrolled Minors.
2. Authorized Adults with current background checks must have visual supervision of individuals who have not received a background check.
3. Program Directors must compile the names and addresses of all non- background checked individuals and any roommates that occupy living quarters where Non-Enrolled Minors may be spending the night prior to the event and provide the list to the Office of Enterprise Risk Management so a check may be run against the National Sex Offender Registry. Fees may be applicable.
4. Non-background check individuals must present photo identification to be checked at the event. Acceptable forms include a driver’s license, passport, or SUU issued identification card.
5. Non-background checked individuals must complete the required training and sign the Statement of Acknowledgment Form.

See Step 3 in the section Requirements for Program Authorized Adults and Volunteer for more information on Background Checks.

• Minors on Campus Program Directors Checklist

You will receive an email from your program director to complete this form. If you are interested in working in a particular Program, contact your Program Director for more information.

As part of the Roster Submission Form for Program Staff, you will be prompted to complete and sign the online Statement of Acknowledgment form. The Statement of Acknowledgment form must be completed by all individuals who work in programs or activities involving minors. A copy of this completed form will be submitted automatically to the Program Director. If you are a volunteer, you will also be asked to complete the SUU Volunteer Services Form.

All Program Staff in programs or activities involving minors must complete training as required under the Minors on Campus and at University-Sponsored Events Policy on the topics listed in step 6 above. An online training module is available.

LiveScan Fingerprint background checks are required for all Authorized Adults who have Direct Contact with Minors in accordance with Policy 5.64.

Authorized Adults are defined as individuals 18 years of age or older, whether paid or unpaid, who interact with, supervise, chaperone, or otherwise oversee, or have access to, Minors in university-sponsored or co-sponsored programs/activities. This includes but is not limited to faculty, staff, volunteers, graduate and undergraduate students, interns, employees of temporary employment agencies, independent contractors/consultants, and on-campus vendors. 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 an authorized adult.

Direct Contact is defined as providing care, supervision, guidance, or control of Minors, and/or routine interaction with Minors.

Individuals who work in covered Programs but do not have Direct Contact with Non-Enrolled Minors as defined by policy 5.64 may be allowed to work in a covered Program with approval from the SUU Risk Management Office and when the following circumstances are met:

1. Non-background check individuals must work in public places and never be left alone with Non-Enrolled Minors.
2. Authorized Adults with current background checks must have visual supervision of individuals who have not received a background check.
3. Programs must compile the names and addresses of non- background checked individuals and any roommates that occupy living quarters where Non-Enrolled Minors may be spending the night prior to the event and provide the list to Risk Management so a check may be run against the National Sex Offender Registry. Fees may be applicable.
4. Non-background check individuals must present photo identification to be checked at the event. Acceptable forms include a driver’s license, passport, or SUU issued identification card.
5. Non-background checked individuals must complete the required training and sign the Statement of Acknowledgment Form.

Meet with your Program Director to discuss the work assignments you will be doing during the program. Depending on your role, you may or may not have to have a LiveScan fingerprint background check.

Steps for completing the LiveScan Background Check:

1. Complete and Print the LiveScan Fingerprinting Authorization Form.
2. Complete the LiveScan fingerprinting at the SUU Police Department. Officers and office personnel are available to take fingerprints on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM by appointment only. Please call the SUU Police Department to make an appointment at 435-586-7793. The SUU Police Department is located at 36 North 300 West.
   
   To complete your LiveScan background check, you will need to bring the following:
   • A completed and signed LiveScan Fingerprinting Authorization Form must be presented by the applicant to the LiveScan technician/fingerprinter at the time that fingerprints are captured. If the LiveScan form is not presented, you will have to send the cards in to be processed manually. The LiveScan form cannot be an electronic format, and must be printed. Incomplete forms WILL NOT be accepted
   • Completed LiveScan Fingerprinting Authorization Forms must also contain a signature from your Program Director and include the department billing index.
   • Valid government-issued photo identification (i.e. driver’s license, State ID, Military ID, etc.) to be fingerprinted.

Online Training Reference:

Online training module

Southern Utah University Policy 5.64 requires all Program Staff in programs or activities involving minors to complete training. 

• Minors on Campus Staff/Volunteer Checklist