Responsible Office: Human Resources
Policy Officer: VP for Finance and Administration
Scope: |Faculty |Staff

Approved By: President's Council

Approved Date: 11/1/2011

Effective Date: 11/1/2011

Category: Faculty and Staff

Description/Purpose:

Children on Campus Guidelines

Details:

Saint Francis University is a diverse environment of classrooms, offices, laboratories, facilities, recreation and other common areas. Visitors to campus are welcome and encouraged. However, appropriate precautions and limitations on visitation are necessary to protect health and safety and to maintain productivity. The University strives to provide an environment open to work and family issues. However, safety is a primary concern when considering the presence of children on campus. The majority of the University's facilities are not designed for occupancy by children. Serious injuries can occur to children on university campuses. Therefore, the following guidelines have been instituted to ensure the safety of young visitors. These guidelines address and outline the circumstances under which it is appropriate to bring non-student, minor children to the work areas and campus. The term "minor children" is defined as anyone under the age of 18.

Employee Guidelines

The following guidelines apply to bringing minor children to work areas and campus:

1. Employees must always obtain supervisory approval prior to bringing children into the work area.
2. Children are not to be brought to work on a regular basis in lieu of childcare.
3. Children may be brought to work due to a family emergency.
4. Children exhibiting symptoms of potentially contagious illnesses should not be brought into the work area.
5. It is not appropriate for non-student, minor children of any age to be in work areas, classrooms, buildings, and athletic fields, on a regular basis, including after school each school day or on regularly scheduled school holidays.
6. A parent or guardian must provide supervision at all times.
7. Children should not be left unattended, or with other employees or students.
8. Children should not interfere with work area activities.

Children are not allowed in high-risk areas such as laboratories, fitness and weight training centers, mechanical rooms, garages and shops, food preparation areas; areas on or close proximity to athletic fields or on gymnasium floors during team practices or athletic events, in university vehicles or other motorized equipment, or in any other high-risk areas (no playing in stairwells, on bleachers, or doorways, or on or with athletic equipment), or where confidentiality factors exist.

As a general rule, children should not accompany employees who travel as part of their regular responsibilities - especially when conducting university business (i.e. admissions, advancement and athletics personnel). The following guidelines apply when children are accompanying an employee when conducting university business or traveling with an employee and an athletic team:

1. Employee must obtain supervisory approval prior to bringing children on a university business trip. 
2. No costs shall be incurred by the University for the child (or any other non employees accompanying the employee).
3. A parent or guardian must provide supervision at all times.
4. Children are not permitted to ride on the bus with an athletic team or in a university owned vehicle.
5. Children should not be left unattended, or with students, or other employees.
6. Children should not interfere with the business activity.

Exceptions to the above restrictions on having children in the work area on a longer term basis may be granted at the discretion of the requesting employee's supervisor and department director, but only with the prior written approval granted by the Director of Risk Management and Public Safety and the Director of Human Resources, and only under the following circumstances:

1. No risk of injury or illness in excess of everyday risks are present in the work area.
2. No significant disruption of the working environment of either the requesting employee or other employees will occur. 
3. The requesting parent signs an agreement promising to indemnify the university and its agents and employees for any claims (including attorney's fees and court costs) made against the university or its agents or employees that arise out of the presence of the child in the work area. 
4. An exception, if granted, may be revoked at any time without cause or explanation by the supervisor, department director, the Director of Risk Management and Public Safety and the Human Resources Manager. 

Student Guidelines

1. A child should not be left unattended while the parent or guardian is attending class or conducting any other business or social function on campus.
2. Line of sight supervision by the parent or guardian is required at all times.
3. Children are not allowed in the high risk areas defined above in the Employee section of this guide.
4. Children are not allowed in classrooms while classrooms are in session unless permission is granted by the faculty member.  If a child becomes disruptive, the faculty member may require the student and child to leave.
5. Children are not permitted to stay in the residence halls overnight, with the exception of Family Weekend. 

Visitor Guidelines

1. Line of sight supervision by the parent or guardian is required at all times.
2. The parent or guardian must assure that children are not disruptive to others.
3. Parent or guardian must not leave children unattended at athletic or other University activities.
4. Children are not allowed in the high risk areas defined above in the Employee section of this guide.
5. Children are not permitted to stay in the residence halls overnight, with the exception of Family and Alumni Weekend or other sponsored events. 

Sponsored Events

The above guidelines do not apply to minor children and family members on campus during university-sponsored events intended for children and/or families, or intended for community participation. (such as kids' college, camps, and health and wellness events).  Adult supervision shall be provided at all university-sponsored events.

Approved by the Presidents Council - March 2012