Northern Essex Community College (NECC) is a public institution of higher education of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As such, its primary responsibility is to provide and maintain a productive and safe learning and working environment for its students, employees and visitors. While NECC seeks to maintain an open and accessible campus for all, it recognizes that the occasional presence of minor children in the workplace or classroom can pose serious challenges, particularly since minors require special attention and protection.
Through the following policy, NECC seeks to create an environment that is conducive to and supports the effective conduct of the working environment and educational process, while providing for the safety and well-being of minor children visiting our campus.
For the purposes of this policy, a minor child is defined as any youth under the age of 18.
Visitors and Guests
A minor child brought onto College property must be under adult supervision at all times. No child shall ever be left unattended on college property, including in a vehicle. The College does not assume responsibility for the supervision or safety of minor children. A minor child may visit college offices and facilities with an accompanying adult who is conducting routine business at the college. A child who is disruptive to the work or learning environment shall be removed from college property by the accompanying adult.
Children of Employees
Employees should refrain from bringing their minor children into the workplace. Occasionally there are situations where an employee does not have childcare and the employee cannot be absent from work due to the demands of their job. On those rare occasions, the employee should speak with their supervisor to request permission to bring a minor child to work. When an employee is authorized to bring a child to work, the employee must provide adequate supervision of the child at all times. Children are not permitted in areas of the College where their presence raises safety concerns or may interfere with the learning environment. Children are not permitted to operate college equipment, including computers, at any time, and should never be brought to campus when they are ill.
In the Classroom
Students should refrain from bringing their minor children with them when attending classes. Occasionally there are situations where a student does not have childcare and wishes not to miss class. On those rare occasions, a student must have the faculty member’s permission to bring their child to a class. Faculty members reserve the right to exclude minors from a classroom when, in the instructor’s professional judgment, it is in the best interest of health, safety, and/or the learning environment to exclude the minor from the classroom. When a student is authorized to bring a child into class, the student must supervise the child at all times. Children will not be permitted in any areas on campus where their presence raises safety concerns or may interfere with the learning environment. Children are not permitted to operate college equipment, including computers, at any time, and should never be brought to campus when they are ill.
In the Library
Students should refrain from bringing minor children with them when studying in the library or using the computer labs. Occasionally there are situations where a student does not have childcare and wishes to use the library resources for research or study purposes. On those rare occasions when a student may bring a child with them into the library, the student must supervise the child at all times. Library staff reserve the right to exclude a child from the library when, in their professional judgment, it is in the best interest of health, safety, and/or the learning environment to exclude the minor from the library. Children are never permitted to operate library computers. A child who is disruptive to the library environment shall be removed from the library by the accompanying adult. Students should never bring a child to the library when the child is ill.
Admissions & Recruitment Events
Minors coming onto campus in groups, or individually for admission and/or recruitment purposes shall be supervised by an accompanying adult. However, NECC recognizes that there are occasions when an individual minor may visit the campus for admissions purposes or a recruitment event and they are not under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian. Under these circumstances, minors between the ages of 16-17 may visit the campus without an accompanying adult. Such minors are not required to have their parent or guardian furnish a release of liability form. Minors under the age of 16 shall be accompanied by an adult when attending such programs.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Students with documented disabilities may be eligible for accommodations. To access accommodations students should contact NECC’s Learning Accommodations Center to set up a Request for Services Meeting, preferably 6-8 weeks prior to the start of the course. Students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) with their secondary school should submit a copy of the IEP to the Learning Accommodations Center.
Health Services and Mental Health Counseling
Students under the age of 18 seeking services with the Counseling Center must obtained documented consent from a parent or guardian. NECC does not currently have a Health Services Office. In the case of a mental health emergency, contact the Director of Counseling & Psychological Services at 978-556-3730 or call 911.
Providing Services to PK-12 Students
No person shall be employed or volunteer for an NECC program designed for PK-12 students until NECC has obtained a sex offender record information (SORI) background check from the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB). Additionally, a criminal offender record information (CORI) background check through the Department of Criminal Justice Information System (DCJIS), or as required by Massachusetts Department of Public Health minimum standards for recreational camps for children, must be conducted. For employees or volunteers who reside out-of-state the appropriate checks will be conducted in accordance with applicable state law. NECC will collect and review the following information from a prospective employee or volunteer:
- Prior work or volunteer history for previous five (5) years including name, address and phone number of a contact person at each place of employment or place of volunteer service.
- Obtain CORI/Juvenile Report from the Massachusetts DCJIS.
- SORI check from the Massachusetts SORB.
- Obtain CHRI from the New Hampshire Criminal Records Support Services.
- SORI check from the NH Sex Offender Registry.
Attendance at a Program Safety Orientation is mandatory for all employees and volunteers. To host a program other than a single event that includes minor children, the department or individual hosting the program must contact the K-12 office to review the processes and procedures that will ensure compliance with safety policies for K-12 programming.
Further, although the College is exempt from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Minimum Standards for Recreational Camps for Children, all recreational camps for children conducted by the College shall refer to those standards for guidance when establishing minimum standards for program safety. Alternatively, all recreational camps for children that are sponsored by private organizations on College property are subject to the authority of the local boards of health and must fully comply with those standards.
Mandated Reporting
All instructors, administrators, campus public safety officers, and college counselors are mandated reporters under Massachusetts law. Where they have reasonable cause to believe that a child under the age of 18 is suffering abuse or neglect, they shall immediately notify the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and/or the Director of Human Resources or their designee.
See NECC Mandated Reporting Policy.
Employment
Minors from ages 14-17 must obtain a work permit in order to work for the college. The college cannot employ a minor younger than the age of 14. Contact the Human Resources Office for specific procedures prior to hiring a minor.
Videotaping and Photographing
Minors shall not be photographed or videotaped for any reason without the written consent of their parent or legal guardian.
Enrollment in Officially Sponsored Programs
Minor students who are enrolled in an officially sanctioned College program or course may generally attend the College without adult supervision. Examples include minors participating in early college or dual enrollment programs or summer programs. Minors are permitted on campus as designated in the guidelines of the specific program.
Students enrolled in classes through one of the Early College programs or as an individual student are considered NECC students, and are therefore held to the same standards of any enrolled student. It is the responsibility of the student to read and understand the information found in NECC’s College policies, including the Student Code of Conduct.
The content of some college courses may include controversial cultural, religious, political, aesthetic, and human sexuality issues. Therefore, minors enrolled in courses at NECC are expected to possess a level of personal responsibility and maturity expected of a college student.