Minors on Campus

Creating a positive environment that promotes health, wellness, safety, and security for children and teens is of utmost importance to Texas Woman's University. Activities/programs involving children/minors (under the age of 18) must follow the requirements of URP 04.420 and Youth Program Requirements and Procedures. 

Scope

These requirements apply to any activity, program, or camp that is:

• Held on TWU campuses or sponsored/operated by TWU, and
• Has participants who are unaccompanied minors (i.e. less than 18 years old)

Activities, programs, or camps that meet these requirements are referred to as "Youth Programs".

Exemptions

The following are exempted from these requirements:

• Matriculated students enrolled in degree-seeking programs who are less than 18 years old 
• TWU employees who are less than 18 years old
• Activities where each minor is supervised by their own parent/guardian, or where minors are exclusively supervised by ISD staff/teachers and there is no interaction with other adults

Activities involving dual-enrollment students are not exempt from these requirements, however, the requirements for youth programs involving dual-enrollment students are somewhat less stringent than for other youth programs. Please refer to Youth Program Requirements and Procedures for specifics.

Example Youth Programs

Some examples of activities that are required to comply with these requirements include:

• Camps operated by TWU departments (on or off campus)
• Camps operated on TWU campuses by outside organizations
• High school students in practicums on campus who are not enrolled (e.g. working in labs for experience)
• Music lessons and swimming lessons
• Athletic recruiting events
• Other events where minors are supervised by TWU or outside organizations on TWU campuses

Summary of Requirements

The main requirements for Youth Programs include the following:

• Registration of all Youth Programs with Risk Management
• Reporting of suspected abuse or neglect
• Background checks for all adult Youth Program staff and volunteers (annually)
• Youth protection training for all adult Youth Program staff and volunteers (bi-annually)
• Minimum staffing ratios
• Prohibition of certain kinds of physical and verbal interactions and one-on-one contact with minors
• Development of additional procedures for the Youth Program (e.g. emergency procedures, medication management, pickup procedures, etc.)

Refer to the Youth Program Requirements and Procedures for additional details.

Risk Management has also developed a Minors on Campus FAQ.

Background Checks

TWU-operated youth programs that need background checks for program staff and volunteers can obtain these from Risk Management. Email a spreadsheet that includes name and email address for each staff and volunteer to risk@twu.edu. Each individual will receive an email from the background check provider with a link to the appropriate system. 

The cost for the background checks will be charged to the department sponsoring or operating the youth program.

Youth Protection Training

Risk Management has developed TWU-specific youth protection training that is available in Bridge. Youth protection training is required for all program staff and volunteers, but another Texas Department of State Health Services-approved youth protection training course Program may be completed instead. Staff and volunteers who have completed another DSHS-approved course still need to review the TWU minors on campus requirements. Risk Management has created the video below which covers just the TWU requirements, but does not cover the entirety of the youth protection training material.

All program staff and volunteers are considered to be Campus Security Authorities (CSA) under the Clery Act. As a result, a brief CSA training is required as well. TWU employees and students will usually complete the CSA training in Bridge, while external youth program staff and volunteers can complete this requirement by reviewing CSA Training for Youth Programs [PDF]. External youth programs will be required to provide documentation that all staff and volunteers have completed both training requirements.

Texas DSHS Form

Youth Programs with over 20 participants and lasting four days or more must submit the DSHS Campus Program for Minors training and examination information form (TX DSHS Form EEH-28) to TXDSHS within five days of the start of the program. All Designated Individuals must be included on the form, not just paid employees.

Please contact us at risk@twu.edu if you have any questions.

High Hazard Areas

Additional action is required before a minor can be granted access to a lab, studio, or other high hazard area on campus.

Refer to the Youth Program Requirements and Procedures [PDF] for details about training requirements.

For access to a TWU lab, a minor's parent or guardian must also complete a Lab Use Agreement Document.

 

Page last updated 3:48 PM, October 31, 2024