Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) hosting events/activities on or off campus that have an elevated risk of injury due to physical activity that is outside their stated mission should utilize the following process. Physical activities may include, but are not limited to, flag football tournaments, inflatables, kickball games, soccer tournaments, sporting events, and walks/runs.
The RSO will need to complete the Recognized Student Organization Physical Activity Registration Form no less than 7 business days before the event. If you aren’t sure whether your event/activity includes physical activity that is outside your stated mission, please contact studentlife@tcnj.edu.
If approved the event/activity will be added to the Student Organization Physical Activity Waiver Form. It is the coordinating organizations responsibility to ensure all participants complete this form before participating in the activity. Once completed, a confirmation will be sent to the paritcipan’s email. We recommend having each participant present it when arriving, or you can have the link displayed and confirm they complete it on-site.
If an injury occurs, the organization should follow the injury protocol outlined in the registration form and below. It is the coordinating groups responsibility to also complete the Student Life Injury Report form within 24 hours.
Injury Protocol
In the event of any emergency, contact campus police immediately (609-771-2345) or call 911.
Best practice is to have someone on site who is certified in CPR/First Aid/AED but this is not required for RSO events. If you are going to have someone on site who is willing to respond to emergencies, these individuals will be identified as the “safety officer(s)” and should know all the information below as well as the location of the closest AED (most on campus buildings have one).
In the event of an injury or accident:
- If on-campus, call 911 in cases of serious injury and Campus Police (609-771-2345) in cases of minor injuries that need medical attention.
- If off campus, call 911 and notify Campus Police (609-771-2345)
- Immediate first aid and emergency care shall be initiated by the “safety officer.” Only those skills the individual is certified to render shall be performed.
- In life-threatening situations or situations involving serious injuries or illnesses, including but not limited to, head injuries, heat illness, spine injury, cardiac arrest, and respiratory distress, the first qualified person to respond to the scene has the responsibility to determine the severity of the injury or illness and stabilize the affected person within the limits of the responding individuals’ training.
Head Injury Protocol
Student Life recognizes that induced concussions pose a significant health risk for those students participating in certain physical activities outlined in these guidelines. With this in mind, we have implemented a protocol to assess and identify those students who have suffered a concussion.
- In any circumstance where a concussion is suspected in a student, the first priority is to remove the student from further competition.
- Any situation where a student is suspected/sustains a concussion, they must refrain from returning to practice or competition the same day
- It is recommended that all students who sustain a concussion should be referred to a physician within 24 hours.
- Possible symptoms include: headache, vision difficulty, nausea, dizziness, balance difficulties, light sensitivity, fatigue, cognitive symptoms, memory loss, attention disorders, reasoning difficulty, emotional symptoms, irritability, sadness, nervousness, and sleep disturbances.
TCNJ EMS is also available to staff your event if you need them and is a good option for high-risk events. You can learn more about the services provided and request them to cover your event on their website.
For events on campus
When making your reservation in Book It! you will be asked if your event includes a physical activity outside your stated mission. If you answer yes, you will be sent the Registration Form which must be completed before your space can be confirmed.
Once this form is reviewed by Student Life and approved, Student Events will move the event to confirm and notify the Organization that their event is confirmed and all participants must complete the waiver form.