President Joseph DiPietro announced yesterday a new system policy regarding staff members whose work involves interaction with children and young adults. These interactions could involve such programs as summer camps, educational programs, cultural events, and various workshops.
As we fulfill our metropolitan mission, such interactions could be an integral part of some programs. Student success and community connections require us to be active in our community and to welcome participants to campus programs on a daily basis. Here at UTC, we echo Dr. DiPietro’s commitment to providing meaningful educational opportunities and to promoting a safe, secure environment for our students and our visitors, especially young people. We stand committed to preventing, reporting, and addressing child abuse and child sexual abuse.
Jim Pulliam in our UTC Office of Safety and Risk Management will be responsible for overseeing implementation of Safety Policy 0575 on our campus. The policy goes into effect January 1, 2014, and includes the following key provisions:
- All employees or individuals in a contractual or volunteer position with the University who meet the policy’s definition of a “covered adult” will receive criminal background checks at least once every four years as a condition of participating in a program that meets the policy’s definition of a “covered program”
- All employees who meet the policy’s definition of a “program director” or “covered adult” will undergo training at least once every two years on preventing, recognizing, reporting and addressing child abuse
- All members of the University community are required to comply with Tennessee laws on mandatory reporting of child abuse and child sexual abuse
Please take a moment and review the policy (at http://policy.tennessee.edu/safety_policy/sa0575/) to determine if your office or department has activities covered under Safety Policy 0575. If you have questions, contact the Office of Safety and Risk Management for assistance and details. Additional information and training regarding the implementation efforts will be shared soon. (Ed. — the UTC policy is now available at http://www.utc.edu/safety-risk-management/minors-on-campus.php .)
Thank you for your cooperation in implementing this important new policy. I appreciate your efforts on behalf of our students and our community.
All the best,
Steve Angle
Chancellor