Children (Minors) on Campus
Policy Statement: This policy covers Saint Peter’s University students.
Reason for the Policy: This policy is intended to provide a friendly and safe campus while maintaining a learning environment for Saint Peter’s University students and a disruption free workplace for our University.
Definition of Child/Minor: Is defined, for purposes of the policy, as a person under the age of eighteen (18) who is not enrolled in programs specifically designed for minors. This policy is not intended to supersede the policies of the Recreational Life Center, Residential Life, or University Libraries, which have statements regarding minor children on their home web pages.
Minors Enrolled as Students: Properly enrolled students under the age of 18 who have the rights and privileges of any other student in the classroom and on campus grounds, except that such minors between the ages of 13 – 15 must have a signed release form on file in the Admissions Office indicating whether they will be accompanied on campus by a responsible adult and must be in compliance with that form. Properly enrolled students under the age of 13 must always be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Policy:
As a Jesuit institution, Saint Peter’s University embraces academic excellence and student-centered learning as reflective of its core values. To further those ideals, the University is committed to fostering an academic environment that supports collegiate-level learning and teaching and to promoting practices that facilitate the academic life of the University.
Saint Peter’s University manages its campuses primarily for adults and does not have the capacity to provide safe accommodations for children who are not enrolled in programs specifically designed for minors. University students have the right to expect that learning will take place free of undue distractions; faculty have the right to expect that teaching will be unhindered. As a general rule, therefore, the University environment is not an appropriate one for children.
Students who find it necessary to bring their children to campus must adhere to the following regulations:
- Children are not permitted to be unattended on campus at any time or for any reason;
- Students of Saint Peter’s University may not bring children to class;
- Children may not be in classrooms or computer labs unless they are enrolled in specific programs approved by Saint Peter’s University and with appropriate adult supervision;
- Lounges, libraries, computer labs, dining facilities, lawns, courtyards, parking lots, and other public spaces of the campus are not appropriate places for child care, and children may not be left in these spaces for extended periods of time, even if other students are willing to look after the children.
Saint Peter’s University understands that child care emergencies arise; however, the University is not in a position to provide emergency child care on campus. We would ask that students who face child care emergencies choose to remain at home, insofar as permissible under the absence policy of each school or program, rather than bring their children to class.
A faculty member may act within his or her discretion in allowing a child to remain in the classroom if, despite this policy statement, a student brings a child to class. In all such cases, however, the faculty member is asked to remind the student of this policy and to notify the campus administrator on duty if an exception to the policy is made so that appropriate follow up communication with the student can occur.
Finally, we ask that all students who care for children as parents, caregivers, relatives, or friends understand the necessity of this policy statement. Child care is a heavily regulated industry that should be staffed only by properly licensed and trained individuals. Saint Peter’s University considers the safety and security of all children paramount and recognizes the potential legal liabilities arising from child care licensing regulations that appropriately regard the well-being of children as a primary focus.