Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 


 

 

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Programs Serving Minors

 

      • KSU is dedicated to creating an environment in which minors may safely participate in University sponsored programs, or programs operated by third parties held on University facilities.  The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia established BOR Policy 12.9 Programs Serving Minors to further efforts to promote the safety and welfare of those who participate in these programs conducted, hosted, or sponsored by any USG institution.  KSU’s Programs Serving Minors Policy is compliant with BOR Policy 12.9.
      • The policy is effective for programs operating on or after May 1, 2017.
      • Yes.
 
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Policy Requirements

 

      • This policy applies to academic camps, athletic camps, after-school programs, mentoring activities, workshops, child-care facilities, conferences and similar activities which involve the custody and care of non-enrolled minors which are conducted, hosted or sponsored by KSU. 
    • Yes. The Programs Serving Minors policy does not apply to:
      • Programs and/or activities on campus which are open to the general public and which minors attend at the sole discretion of their parents or guardians (e.g. athletic events, concerts, plays, etc);
      • Programs and/or activities, including experiential programs, designed for enrolled University students; 
      • Non-residential field trips to KSU supervised by a minor’s school or organization;
      • Student recruitment activities, including open houses and admissions visits and tours, that are scheduled to last no longer than one day and do not include an overnight stay; and
      • National tests offered by the KSU Testing Center.
      • Yes, even programs that involve one minor must comply with the requirements of the Programs Serving Minors policy. Note that one-on-one mentoring scenarios do qualify as a "program" for the purposes of the policy.  Minors enrolled or matriculating at KSU are exempted from the policy. 
      • Yes, the professor needs to register this activity as a program serving minors. Any University faculty members, staff and/or KSU students supervising or assisting the high school students in this activity would be considered an Authorized Individual under the policy.  All Authorized Individuals must (1) have a current satisfactory background investigation on record with KSU, and (2) complete KSU-approved annual training.
      • No. If the middle or high school is sponsoring and facilitating the program, and KSU’s faculty and students are serving as volunteers at the school, it would not be a program covered by this Policy.
      • Yes.
      • Yes. The required facility use agreement / license agreement must include language requiring the non-KSU entity to comply with institutional policies on background checks, training and minimum insurance requirements. In accordance with BOR Policy 9.10.6.3, the form used for such agreements must be USG-approved.  Facility use agreements / license agreements must be approved by the Division of Legal Affairs.
      • All programs serving minors held on KSU campus facilities must operate under the administrative purview of a KSU sponsoring unit.  In this case, the sponsoring unit would be the department, because it is facilitating the third party’s use of the KSU facility.  The department is responsible for submitting a Programs Serving Minors application for review.
      • Yes. As an independent host, the coach in this example would essentially become a third-party organization, and the KSU sponsoring unit facilitating the coach’s use of the KSU space must submit a Programs Serving Minors application for review.

 

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Program Registration

 

      • Please visit the Program Registry page of this website for instructions.
      • All applications should be submitted at least 60 days prior to the start date of the program. For a better picture of how the application is processed, see the Program Registry page of website for instructions.
      • Consider how the programs will be staffed and how your records are maintained. If the same or similar program staff will manage all of the events and you will be maintaining your relevant records in one place that would be easy to produce if asked, it may make sense to register the events as one program. If there will be different staff handling each event and multiple participant lists, waivers and permission forms, it would be better to register each event individually.
      • No. The registration form requires a start date and end date for the program. For programs that are held at regular intervals with the same program staff, you may complete the registration form once for a given period of time, but at minimum, it should be filled out annually.
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Background & Training Requirements

 

      • All authorized individuals (individuals, paid or unpaid, who are authorized by KSU to have direct contact or interaction with minors during a program serving minors). For KSU-affiliated activities, all background investigations must be conducted through the KSU Office 
      • No.  Non-KSU affiliated third-party organizations must provide certification to the Program Sponsor that satisfactory background investigations have been completed for their Authorized Individuals before the Third Party Activities may begin.
      • If the Guest Lecturer is alone with the minors at any point, then Guest Lecturer qualifies as an Authorized Individual under our Policy. In the event that an Authorized Individual with the Program is present in the room during the Guest Lecturer's presentation and any interactions with the minors thereafter, the Guest Lecturer does not meet the definition of an Authorized Individual. However, in such cases, the Program Sponsor has the discretion to treat the Guest Lecturer as an Authorized Individual who would be subject to all of our policy requirements.
      • A minimum of every 3 years.
      • The Sponsoring Unit (the KSU unit offering the program) will be responsible for the cost of the background checks. 
      • No. The University-approved method of obtaining background investigations for a KSU-affiliated activity is through Human Resources. 
      • All Authorized Individuals must complete KSU-approved training annually. The approved training will be available on this website.  However, the Program Sponsor may contact protectionofminors@kennesaw.edu should he/she wish to utilize different training.

        Non-KSU affiliated third-party organizations or agencies may substitute KSU approved training with another training, but such training must be approved by the Program Sponsor. At a minimum the training must include mandatory reporting requirements, responsibilities and expectations, relevant KSU policies, safety and security procedures, and Staff and Program Participant Codes of Conduct. 
      • Program Sponsors.