Yes, this policy applies to you. Whether you are acting as a solo mentor with a minor or as part of a group providing mentorships to minors, this policy applies to you. If you are providing mentorships to minors notify your supervisor, Chair or Dean and e-mail EAS at youth@vcu.edu.

If you do not have minors shadowing you regularly and are always within sight and sound of other adults, you are not required to satisfy Tier II minimum requirements.

Yes. Your program involves minors, and does not fit into one of the exceptions noted in the policy’s exceptions section.

Sponsoring a program is when the university administers or conducts a program. This differs from “hosting a program” which is when an organization separate from VCU holds their program on university property.

If the program may involve minors, then you must prepare for the presence of minors in compliance with this policy. Please e-mail EAS at youth@vcu.edu for further information regarding how to best proceed.

If you will be interacting with minors outside of the presence of their parents or guardians, then you must either be under the Direct Supervision of a Tier I or Tier II Individual or be appropriately screened and trained as a Tier I or Tier II Individual.  If this is part of a structured program for classroom or lab visitation, the individual responsible for the program must register with the university.

E-mail EAS at youth@vcu.edu.

Contact VCU Conference Services via e-mail at uscaevent@vcu.edu or call (804) 828-9502. For Residential Life and Housing Conference Services, email conferences@vcu.edu or call 804-828-7666. 

Information on conducting and funding background checks is available through Equity and Access Services. E-mail youth@vcu.edu for more information.

The VCU Integrity and Compliance Office provides a list of locations where reports can be made. Please visit their website to view options for reporting concerns. 

A best practice is that minors are supervised by at least two authorized adults or by parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the participants. Some of the factors to be considered in determining requirements for supervision of minors are the number and age of participants, the activity(ies) involved, type of housing if applicable, and age and experience of the staff members. The American Camp Association Guidelines also provide best practices.

See Youth Safety on Campus resources for sample forms concerning medical treatment, administration of medicines, emergency services, media photos & video releases. Additional consultation on safety and protection measures is available from Equity and Access Services upon request (e-mail youth@vcu.edu).

Complaints or concerns may be reported to the Program Supervisors first.  If additional assistance is requested, you can email Equity and Access Services at youth@vcu.edu. If assistance reporting outside of a program is needed, the VCU Helpline is also available at vcuhelpline.com or by calling 1-888-242-6022.

If the program is not being conducted by a VCU department or unit, student organizations must contact the Division of Student Affairs to provide a Point Person, and this activity should comply with this policy as a hosted Program.

A chaperone is an individual who accompanies and supervises minors during youth activities or programs on VCU’s campus. A chaperone should not be connected with or responsible for the activity or program directly.

Youth activities or programs run exclusively by VCUHS employees with no connection to the university do not fall under this policy. If the VCUHS employee has a joint appointment at VCU [example: faculty member] or the program is connected with the university, this policy would apply.

Yes. Any facility or property leased by VCU is considered part of the campus and compliance with the policy is required for youth programs at these locations.

Tier I individuals who are VCU employees and have worked for the university for more than two years will need to undergo a biennial screening process. The Tier I individual’s immediate supervisor is responsible for conducting these screenings.

Tier I individuals not affiliated with VCU should consult with their organization’s human resources professionals or legal counsel for advice on conducting biennial screenings related to this policy. VCU does not have a role or responsibility in reviewing or interpreting background check results for outside entities.
 
For further guidance, visit our information on background checks or contact Equity and Access Services at youth@vcu.edu or (804) 827-3402.