The summer season of camps and conferences will soon be upon us, as students under 18 ready to visit our campuses. We asked Dr. Grant L. Azdell, the Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students and a professor at Randolph-Macon College (VA), to share some of the relevant legal principles and guidelines institutions can use to manage risks arising from hosting minors on campus. “State laws vary so be aware of the requirements in your own state,” he said. “Consult with your insurance company because they likely have a set of ‘best practices’ or requirements for working with anyone under 18 years of age.”
We also asked him how institutions can minimize abuse and other hazards when hosting minors. “Require two-deep supervision at all times,” he recommended, “such as at camps, no adult is alone with a camper at any time. Always have two adults as a team. Require background checks of all participants who have contact with minors.”
