Category: Administration and Operations
Approval: VPOC
Responsibility: Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration), Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)
Date initially approved:
Date of last revision: 12 June 2017
A. Definitions
Adult: Any person 18 years of age or older
Authorized Adult and/or Program Personnel: Individuals who interact with, supervise, chaperone or otherwise oversee minors in camp or program activities, or recreational, and/or residential facilities. This includes but is not limited to faculty, staff, volunteers, graduate and undergraduate students, interns, employees of temporary employment agencies, and contractors/ consultants.
Program Director: Individual responsible for the oversight and compliance components of their program/activity.
Camps for Minors (Camps): A day or overnight program that offers recreational activities and/or instruction to minors. Such camps typically have five or more campers and operate anytime during school vacations. Camps are run by academic and administrative units of the university and student groups. This may include partnerships between university units and external organizations that use university facilities or brand. A list of approved camps is posted on the Queen’s university website.
Programs for Minors (Programs): Programs and/or activities that are run by academic and administrative units of the university, student groups or by non-university groups using Queen’s university facilities or brand. This includes but is not limited to workshops, conferences and similar activities. This does not include camps.
Minor: Any person under 18 years of age but, as such term as used in this Policy, excludes those enrolled at the university as full or part-time students.
University Property/Facilities: Includes all university property that is owned and/or occupied or operated by Queen’s University.
B. Purpose/Reason for Policy
Queen’s University is committed to the safety of all individuals in its community. The university has particular concern for those who are potentially vulnerable, including minor children, who require special attention and protection.
The purpose of this policy and the related procedures is to describe requirements placed on administrators, faculty, staff, students, volunteers and other authorized adults or program personnel working with minors – to ensure their protection, to fulfill our obligations as mandated by law, and to provide the best possible experience for any minor visiting our university property/facilities or in university-related programs.
C. Scope of this Policy
This policy applies broadly to interactions between minors and authorized adults which could include university faculty, staff, students and volunteers in university-run or affiliated programs and activities including but not limited to camps, workshops, conferences, school field trips, tours of university property/facilities, visits by minors considered to be prospective students and other educational activities. This policy also applies to programs and camps taking place under the direction and authority of the university at locations not on university property/facilities.
This policy also applies to non-university organizations, student groups and entities that operate programs or camps involving minors held on university property/facilities, and university agreements with such organizations and entities shall reflect those requirements. All Queen’s University faculty, staff, students and volunteers are responsible for understanding and complying with this policy and its related procedures.
This Policy applies to such programs and camps whether they are limited to daily activities or involve the housing of minors in residence halls. Exceptions to this policy include:
- Undergraduate and Graduate academic programs in which minors are enrolled for academic credit; and
- Events held on university property/facilities which are open to the general public and which minors attend at the sole discretion of their parents or guardians;
D. Policy Statement
All existing and future university programs and camps involving minors must be developed and administered so as to:
- Provide a safe and protective environment for the participation of minors; and
- Mandate compliance with municipal, provincial and federal law and university policies and procedures; and
- Require appropriate training for all employees, students and volunteers that come in direct contact with minors; and
- Camps are required to comply with the policies and procedures that relate to this policy. All other programs for minors are encouraged to follow best practice as outlined in the related policies and procedures to ensure the safety of minors on campus. Programs that do not demonstrate that all reasonable processes and procedures have been put in place to ensure the safety of minors may be denied access to Queen’s facilities and brands.
E. Responsibilities
Program Director: Ensure that all programs are run and personnel and volunteers are in compliance with all related policies as identified below.
Program Personnel and Volunteers: Be in compliance with the policies and procedures related to the Protection of Minors Involved in University Programs and Activities as outlined in the Policy Statement above.
Contact Officer: Director of Risk Management & Office of the Vice- Principal (Finance & Administration)
Date for Next Review: 2022 March 1
Related Policies, Procedures and Guidelines:
Policy on Establishing and Operating a Camp for Minors
Health & Safety and Emergency Procedures for Camps
Documentation and Privacy of Camp Records
Hiring and Training of Camp Personnel
Supervision of Campers
Safe Disclosure Policy
Policies Superseded by This Policy: None