Clark State Mentor Policies and Procedures

Role. Mentors provide Clark State Scholars with stable and caring adult mentors who will encourage and inspire them to develop the attitudes and skills to pursue post-secondary education and to lead healthy, productive lives. Mentors interact with Scholars through school visits, field trips and program-sponsored activities.

Time Commitment. Mentors meet with a small group of Scholars in their school once a month, for a minimum of 45 minutes per session. Mentors make a one-year commitment to the program, but mentors may elect to continue with their Scholars for additional year(s) until the scholars complete high school.

Support. Scholars Program staff coordinate activities, field trips and procedures to resolve any issues that may arise.

Eligibility. Mentors must:

• Be at least 25 years of age
• Agree to a minimum one-year commitment to the program
• Commit to spending a minimum of one visit per month with their Scholars
• Agree to attend mentor trainings as required
• Have access to an automobile or reliable transportation
• Have a current driver’s license, auto insurance, and good driving record
• Have a clean criminal history, as evidenced through a background check
• Communicate regularly with the program manager and submit activity information
• Be willing to adhere to all Clark State Scholars policies and procedures

All mentors are expected to meet the eligibility criteria; any exceptions must be approved by the Vice President of Advancement and the Chair of the Scholarship Committee. Documentation of the screening process must be maintained for each mentor and placed in confidential files.

Unacceptable Behaviors. Behaviors that are incompatible with Clark State Scholars program standards and therefore prohibited while participants are engaged in mentoring activities include:

• Unwelcome physical contact, such as inappropriate touching, patting, pinching, punching, and physical assault
• Unwelcome physical, verbal, visual, or behavioral mannerisms or conduct that denigrates, shows hostility, or aversion toward any individual
• Display of demeaning, suggestive, or pornographic material
• Violation of any local, state, or federal law; including but not limited to driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of illegal substances

 

The Clark State Foundation has the following obligations for participants in the Clark State Scholars program:

• To protect the health and safety of our Scholars
• To earn the trust of Scholars’ families
• To protect mentors, volunteers and staff from unwarranted accusations.

Toward these ends, the following regulations apply to all Clark State Scholars activities:

1. Background checks will be completed for all Clark State Scholars mentors and staff.
2. All mentors will complete mentor training, which includes an orientation to appropriate physical contact and communication, prior to their first meeting with Scholars.
3. College students who tutor Scholars should do so on school grounds or Clark State grounds.
4. Mentors are not permitted to transport scholars. Clark State and our partnering school districts will coordinate bus transportation for scholars.
5. Mentor Sessions that overlap the date of a field trip will be canceled.
6. Mentors are not permitted to provide food or gifts to the students.
7.  All Clark State Scholars Field Trips will be organized by the Scholars Program. Field Trips will be age appropriate and will focused around Clark State degree programs, career exploration, and college readiness and student life. All mentors will be invited to attend field trips with the Scholars. Mentors are encouraged to participate, if possible.
8. Permission slips must be completed for all field trips. Students without permission slips will not be permitted to participate in the activity. Permission slips include:
   1. Informed Consent Voluntary Waiver Release of Liability form
   2. Medical Release form
9. All field trips will have at least 1 adult (25+ years old) for every eight Scholars, and at least one of the adults will be female. If these adult requirements are not met, the activity will be cancelled.
10. Any incident or accusation of inappropriate behavior by an adult volunteer or staff must be reported within 24 hours to the Foundation office.

Mentors are not to accompany Scholars on overnight visits. Out-of-town trips are permitted under the following conditions:

• Out-of-town travel may occur only with prior approval from the Clark State Scholars Program and parents/guardians of the Scholars involved.
• For any and all admissible out-of-town travel, the parent/guardian must sign a permission slip stipulating:
  • Their child is permitted to travel to the predetermined destination, specifying names and the location(s) being traveled to.
• For any and all admissible out-of-town travel, the attending chaperones must provide this information to the program director, and will provide this information to the parent/guardian prior to leaving, and include the following:
  • The destination(s) and places to be visited
  • Times and dates of departure and arrival at each location being visited
  • Expected time of return
  • Cell phone number or other number where they can be reached

The Clark State Foundation will protect the confidentiality of information regarding Scholars and their families. With the exception of the limitations listed below, program staff will only share information about Scholars and their families with other Foundation staff and, if necessary, with the Foundation Board of Directors.

In order for the Clark State Scholars program to provide a responsible and professional service to participants, it is necessary to ask Scholars, Scholars applicants, parents/guardians, school personnel, references, and other outside sources to provide information about the prospective participants and their families. These records are considered the property of the Foundation and are available only to program staff and to Foundation Board members as deemed necessary by the Board.

Exceptions to this policy are as follows:

• Information may be provided to law enforcement officials or the courts pursuant to a valid and enforceable subpoena.
• Information may be provided to legal counsel in the event of litigation or potential litigation. Such information is considered privileged information, and its confidentiality is protected by law.
• Information may be provided to appropriate authorities if a child may be at risk to him/herself or others.

Clark State Scholars Program staff must report any suspected child abuse and/or neglect of program participants (or any other minor). All such suspected reports must be made to appropriate state and/or local authorities. Program staff must follow the mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect procedure.

Under Ohio law, volunteers (except for those who are religious educators) are not mandated to report suspected abuse and/or neglect to the authorities. The Clark State Scholars program expects mentors to report any such suspicions to program staff. Mentor training will include information about what constitutes child abuse and neglect and how to properly report such cases to staff.

Any staff or mentors accused of child abuse or neglect will be investigated. Contact with program youth will be restricted until the investigation is concluded.

Approved June 18, 2009