Protecting Children and Youth in Our Programs

The university takes seriously its responsibility to ensure that youth participating in our programs or visiting our campus enter a safe, healthy and positive environment. Adults interacting with young people will act with integrity and respect to the child. It is the adult’s responsibility to set and respect boundaries.

Inappropriate behavior towards children and youth includes but is not limited to, any type of sexual contact, kissing, dating, providing mood altering substances such as illegal drugs, prescription drugs (not prescribed to the child) or alcohol, giving extravagant gifts including money, providing children and/or youth with personal phone numbers and contacting the child or youth unnecessarily or for social reasons, taking pictures or videotaping outside of the scope of the program and without the parents’/guardians’ permission.

Resources for Crimes Against Children and Youth

• Stop It Now!
  Online Help Center is a private, 24/7 online resource center to help you prevent child sexual abuse. You’ll need to answer a few basic questions and you’ll receive the guidance and resources so you can take action
• Reporting Child Sexual Abuse Resource Page
• Pennsylvania Child Abuse Hotline
  (800) 932-0313
• Childhelp  (provides information on reporting)
  (800) 4ACHILD
  (800) 422-4453
• CyberTipline 
  (800) 843-5678
  National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and National reporting hotline for internet safety

Protection of Minors on Campus

Shippensburg University and all of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education remain committed to ensuring that our campuses are safe places for learning, living, and working; you play an important role in that effort. Recent laws passed by the Pennsylvania legislature and a policy passed by the Board of Governors further enhance that commitment in the following ways that involve you, as an employee:

In a situation of suspected child abuse involving individuals under the age of 18, all employees are considered “mandated reporters”.

If there is a situation of suspected child abuse you must immediately make an oral report to Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS)—formerly named the Department of Public Welfare—by calling 1-800-932-0313. If an oral report is made, a written report must be made within 48 hours to DHS or the Cumberland County Department of Children and Youth Services at 717-240-6120. Immediately following the report to DHS, you must notify the Head of Student Affairs—the designated person in charge here at the University who will assume responsibility for facilitating the institution’s cooperation with the investigation of the report.

Arrest and Conviction Disclosure

Related to the protection of minors on campus, all current employees are required to report to the University if they have been arrested or convicted of crimes enumerated in the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. §6344(c). Beginning December 31, 2014, you must contact our human resources office if you have been 1) arrested for or convicted of a reportable offense or if you have been 2) founded or indicated as a perpetrator in a report of child abuse. You must provide such written notice within 72 hours of the arrest, conviction, or notification that you have been listed as a perpetrator in the statewide database. We have been advised that failure to make a written notification as required by law could be a misdemeanor of the third degree and could subject you to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Reporting Child and Youth Abuse Crimes

The Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa. C.S. §6311 and Shippensburg University policy designate all Shippensburg University employees as mandated reporters. This includes individuals who fall within one or more of the following classifications: all administrators, faculty, academic staff, adjunct faculty, clinical faculty, support staff (including regular, temporary, and on-call), student employees, coaches, contractors, volunteers, graduate assistants, and leased employees. Independent contractors and volunteers are also deemed mandated reporters under this policy. Mandatory reporters are required to report suspected child abuse to the Department of Human Services (DHS), to the Vice President for Student Affairs, and to the Shippensburg University Police consistent with the mandated reporting section of this policy.

• Contact ChildLine
  dhs.pa.gov
  800-932-0313
• Contacting the Shippensburg University Police Department
  Located in the Reed Operations Center on Campus
  717-477-1444
  Police@ship.edu