Policies

Child Protection Policy

Policy Purpose

To set forth the commitment and compliance of Farmingdale State College to the principles of State University of New York policy 6505 entitled "Child Protection Policy.”

Persons Affected

Students, Faculty, Staff, Third-Parties

Policy Statement

Farmingdale State College, as an institution of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, is required to comply with all policies as promulgated by SUNY unless such policy allows for or requires a separate policy on the issue at hand be adopted by an individual institution of SUNY. With regard to SUNY policy 6505 Child Protection Policy (herein after SUNY Child Protection Policy), such policy does not allow for a separate policy by individual institutions of SUNY. Therefore, Farmingdale State College adopts and will comply with and enforce all aspects of the SUNY Child Protection Policy as written, including the mandate to create procedures for policy implementation which are included herein.

Procedures

These procedures have been developed in accordance with the SUNY Child Protection Policy and apply to any Covered Activity; program, event or activity sponsored or approved by the College or College-affiliated organization for the duration of which the responsibility for custody, control and supervision of children under the age of 17 is vested in the College or College-affiliated organization. In accordance with the SUNY Child Protection Policy, the College has designated the Internal Control Officer/Compliance Coordinator as the Responsible University Officials (RUO).

1. All employees of the College or College-affiliated organization seeking to hold an event or activity involving children must complete the Request to Conduct Programs/Activities Involving Children, at least thirty (30) days prior to the event or activity.
2. The RUO will review the activity to determine if it qualifies as a Covered Activity under the SUNY Child Protection Policy. If it does not qualify as such, the RUO will notify the event coordinator.
3. If the activity does qualify as a Covered Activity, the RUO will determine whether or not the activity will be approved and notify the event coordinator.
4. If the activity is denied, the event coordinator may appeal the decision to the Vice President for Administration and Finance.
5. Once a Covered Activity has been approved, the event coordinator must coordinate with the RUO to ensure:

1. All Covered Persons are identified.
2. Requirements of the SUNY Child Protection Policy are communicated to all Covered Persons as defined by the SUNY Child Protection Policy.
3. Sex offender checks are conducted in accordance with the SUNY Child Protection Policy for all Covered Persons.

6. No Covered Person may participate in the Covered Activity until they have been cleared through the sex offender registry. In the event that a Covered Person expresses concern or unwillingness to be checked, they shall not be allowed to participate in the Covered Activity.
7. All Covered Persons who are employees, volunteers, students or agents of the College or a College-affiliated organization will be required to participate in training on the SUNY Child Protection Policy prior to the commencement of a Covered Activity.
8. Covered Persons must complete an Acknowledgement of the University’s Child Protection Policies and Training form prior to the commencement of a Covered Activity.
9. All Covered Persons will be provided an identification that clearly identify the individual as a Covered Person for the specific Covered Activity. This identification must be worn throughout the duration of the activity. Covered Person identification must be event–specific and include the following:

1. Event Name
2. Date or Date Range
3. Covered Person Name
4. Covered Person Photo
5. Covered Person Role

10. During the activity, all Covered Persons must conduct themselves in accordance with the rules stipulated in the SUNY Child Protection Policy. This shall include, but is not limited to, avoiding one-on-one contact with a child (except where permitted by the College and required for pedagogical or health-related reasons), engaging in physical or sexual abuse, using alcohol or illegal drugs during the event, facilitating a child’s usage of alcohol or illegal drugs, and immediately removing a child from potential physical or sexual abuse.

11. All allegations of physical abuse or sexual abuse of a child must be immediately reported to the campus University Police Department at (934) 420-2111. A written report of each allegation of physical abuse or sexual abuse of a child must be completed and provided to the campus University Police Department.

12. Notify the Event Coordinator of any allegations of physical abuse or sexual abuse or any issues that may arise during the course of the Covered Activity.

13. All allegations of suspected physical abuse or sexual abuse are investigated and addressed appropriately and promptly.

14. Annually, the RUO will be responsible for sending a notification to the campus community regarding events that involve children and the need to comply with this policy.

15. Retaliation against anyone who has made a report in good faith under this process is strictly prohibited. Any allegations of retaliation should be reported to Human Resources, which will conduct an investigation in accordance with its policies and procedures.

Definitions

Covered Activity: A program or activity sponsored or approved by the College or a College-affiliated organization, or an activity conducted by a vendor, licensee or permittee for which a license or permit for use of College facilities has been approved, occurring on or off campus, for the duration of which the responsibility for custody, control and supervision of children is vested in the University, University-affiliated organization or the vendor, licensee or permittee so approved. This policy is not applicable to on-campus childcare centers.

Covered Person: A person who is responsible for the custody, control or supervision of children participating in the Covered Activity and who is:

1. an employee of the College or College-affiliated organization;
2. College student;
3. volunteer of the College or College-affiliated organization; or
4. a vendor, licensee, permittee or other person, who is given permission to come onto campus or to use College facilities for Covered Activities; or
5. an employee, agent or volunteer of (d) above.

Child: An individual under the age of seventeen years, who is participating in a Covered Activity. The term “child” shall not include a matriculated student of the College or a person accepted for matriculation. For purposes of this policy, “matriculation” means accepted by the College as a student into a college course that is listed in the college catalog.

Physical Abuse: Physical contact with a child by a covered person which is intended to cause, or causes, pain or physical injury, including punching, beating, shaking, throwing, kicking, biting and burning, or directing a child, outside the norm of the supervised activity, to perform physical activity which is intended to cause physical injury.

Sexual Abuse: Engaging in a sexual offense with a child and/or encouraging or promoting sexual performance by a child. Pursuant to the NYS Penal Law Articles 130, 263, and Sections 260.10 and 260.25, sexual offenses include: sexual misconduct, rape, criminal sex acts, forcible touching, persistent sexual abuse, sexual abuse, aggravated sexual abuse, course of sexual conduct against a child, facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance, sexually motivated felony, predatory sexual assault against a child, and sexual performance by a child. This also includes Penal Law offenses relating to children including endangering the welfare of a child and unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree. Sexual performance by a child, as defined by the Penal Law, is any behavior which results in touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a child for the purpose of sexual gratification of the child and/or adult, including touching by the child and/or adult with or without clothing, and all acts as defined by New York State Penal Law Articles 130, 263 and Section 260.10.

Responsible University Official: The employee of the College or College-affiliated organization, who has been designated by the Campus under Section G, Campus Responsibilities, of the SUNY Child Protection Policy.

University-affiliated organization: The Research Foundation for the State University of New York, campus foundation, campus alumni association, campus auxiliary services corporation, or any other entity so designated by the Chancellor or Campus President.

Related Documents

SUNY Child Protection Guidance

SUNY policy 6505 Child Protection Policy

Policy for Mandatory Reporting and Prevention of Sexual Abuse

SUNY policy 6504 Policy for Mandatory Reporting and Prevention of Sexual Abuse

Request to Conduct Programs/Activities Involving Children
FSC's Child Protection Compliance Web Page

Responsible Office

Administration and Finance