Glossary

Authorized Individual
Individuals, paid or unpaid, who are authorized by Kennesaw State University officials to have direct contact with minors, including the supervision of minors. This includes, but is not limited to faculty, staff, volunteers, students, interns, and independent contractors/consultants.

Background Investigation
A report including an individual’s criminal history and sex offender registry.

Campus 
Includes all buildings, properties, facilities and areas that are owned, leased, managed, operated, or controlled by Kennesaw State University.

Child Abuse 
Includes physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by an Authorized Individual by other than accidental means provided, however, physical forms of discipline may be used as long as there is no physical injury to the child.

Child Neglect 
Child neglect includes neglect or exploitation of a child by an Authorized Individual if said neglect or exploitation consists of a lack of supervision, abandonment, or intentional or unintentional disregard by an Authorized Individual of a child’s basic needs for food, shelter, medical care, or education as evidenced by repeated incidents or a single incident which places the child at substantial risk of harm.

Contact/Interaction with Minor(s) 
Contact that is direct and reasonably anticipated. The term does not include interaction that is merely incidental.

Incident Reporting
KSU has multiple avenues to report all types of incidents or concerns. To report suspected child abuse or neglect and/or accident/safety incidents in programs utilizing KSU facilities and that involve unenrolled minors, the following procedures should be followed:

• KSU Mandated Reporting Procedures
  
  • To report suspected child abuse or neglect in programs utilizing KSU facilities and that involve unenrolled minors. Reporting by Authorized Individuals is required by State of Georgia law within 24 hours.
• KSU Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Incident Reporting
  • To report University-related incidents/accidents involving employees, students, visitor's and contractors and to submit an incident/accident investigation report and statement.

To report other types of incidents on KSU campuses the following additional avenues are available:

• KSU Police
  
  • Emergencies: 470-578-6666 or 770-423-6666
  • Non-Emergencies: 470-578-6206
  • Non-Emergency E-mail: police@kennesaw.edu
  • Tipster Line (Report Anonymously): 470-578-6305
• KSU Concern
  
  • To report incidents related to: violence and assault; violations of the university policy and procedures; housing, auxiliary services (parking, transportation, bookstore, card services, culinary and hospitality, copy/print services, student health services, retail shopping, postal services), ADA/disability, student activities, university events, facilities, or any other related services; financial aid or registration, records and transcripts; and discrimination.
• KSU Behavioral Response Team Red Flag Reporting
  
  • To share information about a person and observed behaviors and statements that generated the concern. Such behaviors are often referred to as “red flags” because they may indicate a larger or growing issue with which that person may be struggling.
• KSU Ethics and Compliance Hotline
  
  • To report unethical behavior and policy violations. You may choose to provide your contact information or to remain anonymous.

Mandated Reporting
Reporting required by State of Georgia law for anyone who works or volunteers at a child serving agency, which includes KSU, to report suspected child abuse or neglect within 24 hours (O.C.G.A. § 19-7-5). At KSU, Authorized Individuals as defined above and in the the KSU Programs Serving Minors Policy are considered mandated reporters.

Procedures and contact information to report suspected child abuse or neglect within 24 hours is available on this Mandated Reporting web page of this website.

Mandated Reporters 
Anyone who works or volunteers at a child serving agency who is required State of Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 19-7-5) to report suspected abuse or neglect of minors to the appropriate authorities. At KSU, Authorized Individuals as defined above and in the the KSU Programs Serving Minors Policy are considered mandated reporters.

Minor 
A person under the age of eighteen (18). Does not apply to enrolled KSU students under the age of 18.

Program
Any program and/or activity operated by any University unit, or by third party organizations. This includes but is not limited to, any sports camp, academic camp, workshops, mentoring activity, internships, conferences, and research projects. Excluded from this definition are:

1. Programs and/or activities on campus which are open to the general public and which minors attend at the sole discretion of their parents or guardians (e.g. athletic events, concerts, plays, etc.);
2. Programs and/or activities, including experiential programs, designed for enrolled University students;
3. Non-residential field trips to KSU supervised by a minor’s school or organization;
4. Student recruitment activities, including open houses and admissions visits and tours, that are scheduled to last no longer than one day and do not include an overnight stay; and
5. National tests offered by the KSU Testing Center.

Program Sponsor 
The primary KSU employee acting on behalf of the Sponsoring Unit who is responsible for the organization and execution of the program, including adherence to BOR and KSU policies. The Program Sponsor is also considered an Authorized Individual for the purposes of this policy.

Sponsoring Unit 
The academic, administrative or athletic unit of the University that offers a program or facilitates the use of University facilities.

Third Party Activity 
Non-affiliated third-party organizations or agencies that utilize Kennesaw State University resources to host any programs serving minors.

University-Affiliated Activity 
Any program or activity (including any single camp, workshop, mentoring activity, research project, or internship) operated by a Kennesaw State University sponsoring unit in which minors participating in the program or activity are supervised by Kennesaw State Authorized Individuals.