[Minor revision–posted 4/16/21 (replaces 9/30/20 edition)]
[Revised section 6 due to personnel changes–7/31/23; no additional change to OP]
[PDF Version]

 

Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 10.19: Sexual Abuse/Child Molestation Awareness Training and Certification for Texas Tech-Sponsored Campus Programs for Minors

DATE: April 16, 2021

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to establish a policy and procedure to assist Texas Tech-sponsored camps in complying with the requirements imposed by the Texas Education Code, Section 51.976, which requires certain employees of campus programs for minors to receive sexual abuse and child molestation awareness training and examination.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in March of odd-numbered years by the Managing Director of Emergency Management and the Deputy General Counsel with substantive revisions forwarded to the Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Definitions

a.    Camper

A child under the age of 18 years who is attending a day or overnight campus program for minors operated by Texas Tech University

b.    Campus Program for Minors

A program that:

(1)    Is operated by Texas Tech; and

(2)    Offers recreational, athletic, religious, academic, or educational activities for campers who:

(a)    Are not enrolled as students at Texas Tech; and

(b)    Attend or temporarily reside at the camp.

c.    Camp Employee

A person of any age who receives compensation from Texas Tech in exchange for work or service at a campus program for minors operated by Texas Tech

d.    Camp Director

A person who supervises a campus program for minors operated by Texas Tech, regardless of whether it is operated on a for-profit or non-profit basis

2.  Provisions

a.    All camp employees who have contact with campers at a campus program for minors operated by Texas Tech must be trained and certified in sexual abuse and child molestation awareness, as required by the Texas Education Code, Chapter 51, Subchapter Z, § 51.976, Training and Examination Program for Employees of Campus Programs for Minors on Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse and Child Molestation.

b.    The term "contact with campers" does not include:

(1)    A camp employee acting as a guest speaker, an entertainer, or fulfilling any other role whose attendance at the campus program for minors is for a limited purpose or a limited time, if the camp employee has no direct and unsupervised interaction with campers; or

(2)    A student enrolled at Texas Tech University whose contact with campers is limited to a single class of short duration.

c.    The training and examination requirement in subsection 2 of this section does not apply if:

(1)    A Texas Tech employee is not a camp employee; or

(2)    A Texas Tech employee, agent, or contractor has only limited contact with campers.

d.    Texas Tech may provide the training required by this OP and may require training and an examination for any visitors and students as necessary.

e.    In addition to training required by this OP, all Texas Tech camp employees working at a campus program for minors, including student employees, are required to have a criminal history, sex offender, and violent offender check prior to employment, as stated in OP 70.20, Employment for Security-sensitive Positions.

3.  Procedure

a.    Camp directors are responsible for ensuring that all camp employees who are in a position that involves contact with campers at a campus program for minors operated by Texas Tech University successfully complete the training and examination program on prevention of sexual abuse and child molestation.  

b.    A camp director may not employ an individual in a position involving contact with campers at a campus program for minors operated by Texas Tech unless:

(1)    The individual submits to the camp director or the campus program for minors has on file documentation verifying that, within the preceding two years of the beginning date of employment, the individual successfully completed the required training and examination program on sexual abuse and child molestation prevention; or

(2)    The individual successfully completes the required training and examination program on sexual abuse and child molestation prevention by the first day of the campus program for minors.

c.    A person applying for or holding a camp employee position involving contact with campers at a campus program for minors operated by Texas Tech must successfully complete the training and examination program on sexual abuse and child molestation awareness prior to the first day of the campus program for which the person is seeking employment. Failure to complete the required training on a timely basis may result in the immediate termination of the camp employee.

d.    The camp director must submit documentation to the Senior Director of Outreach and Engagement within 24 hours of the first day of the campus program, verifying that each camp employee having contact with campers has completed the training and examination requirements. If the camp employee is a Texas Tech employee, the documentation will be forwarded to Human Resources for inclusion in the employee's training record and personnel file.

e.    All copies of training and examination documents must be retained by the camp director until the second anniversary of the camp employee's examination date.

f.     With respect to unpaid volunteers, a camp director may, based on his/her independent judgment and carefully considering the extent to which a volunteer may have contact with campers and the duration of such contact, require volunteers to complete the training and examination program on prevention of sexual abuse and child molestation.  

4.  Training and Examination Requirements

The training, at a minimum, will include:

a.    The definitions and effects of sexual abuse and child molestation;

b.    The typical patterns of behavior and methods of operation of child molesters and sex offenders that put children at risk;

c.    The warning signs and symptoms associated with sexual abuse or child molestation, recognition of the signs and symptoms, and the recommended methods of reporting suspected abuse;

d.    The recommended rules and procedures to implement to address, reduce, prevent, and report suspected sexual abuse or child molestation;

e.    The need to minimize one-on-one isolated encounters between an adult and a minor or between two minors; and

f.    The risk of sexual activity between campers, steps to prevent sexual activity between campers, and how to respond if sexual activity between campers occurs.

5.  Reporting Policy

Texas Tech, through the Senior Director of Outreach and Engagement, will file all required forms and report the training to the Texas Department of State Health Services, as required by state law, if the camp director and the camp employee have completed the training and reporting requirements in a timely manner as directed by this OP.

6.  Non-Texas Tech Camps

Owners and operators of campus programs for minors not operated by Texas Tech, but held on the Texas Tech campus, must fully comply with the requirements of the Texas Education Code, Chapter 51, Subchapter Z, §51.976, Training and Examination Program for Employees of Campus Programs for Minors on Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse and Child Molestation, report such training and certification to the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) in a timely manner, and provide the Youth Protection Officer in Institutional Compliance with copies of all reports filed with the TDSHS prior to the first day of the camp.

7.  Authoritative Reference

Texas Education Code, Section 51.976

Texas Department of State Health Services
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/cpm

Approved Training and Education Programs
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/cpm/training.shtm

8.  Right to Change Policy

Texas Tech reserves the right to interpret, change, modify, amend, or rescind this policy, in whole or in part, at any time without notice to or consent of its employees.

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