Human Resources Mission, Vision, and Strategic Goals For You

Volunteers at Purdue FAQs

The following frequently asked questions relate to Purdue’s Volunteer Policy.

Safety is our number one concern. The stipulation that no individual listed on the registry may volunteer helps to minimize risk to the University community.
Retired faculty, emeritus or otherwise, are volunteers when they are performing services for the University without promise, expectation or receipt of compensation.  Departments who have retired faculty as volunteers need to follow the selection process just as they do for any other volunteer.
Yes.
When you volunteer your services to an entity other than the University you are not considered a volunteer under this policy.
No. The students are merely fulfilling the requirements of a course.
No. When you volunteer your services to an entity other than the University you are not considered a volunteer under this policy and are not subject to our selection process.
If the individuals are current faculty or staff or currently enrolled students, no. If the individuals are anyone else (e.g., alumni, retired faculty/staff, donors), they are considered volunteers and are subject to the selection process.
The form is Appendix A of the Administrative Manual on University Volunteers.
Please have Human Resources review your forms to ensure they meet the requirements of the policy.

Most individuals will only need to fill out the Volunteer Registration form.  However, volunteers who will perform any of the following tasks need to complete both forms:

  • Key access to a building or facility
  • Direct contact with minors or other vulnerable populations (e.g., patients, persons with mental disabilities)
  • Direct contact with animals
  • Access to cash, cash equivalents, checks, credit card account information or financial information of any kind
  • Access to protected, personal or other sensitive data or other confidential information
  • Work in a laboratory
  • Work in a facility in which biological, chemical, radiological or other hazardous materials are present
  • Services that require travel of any kind (driver or passenger)
  • Professional services
Yes, individuals can send their completed registration form to the department ahead of time and the checks can be performed from the information on the form.
No.
If the services the faculty or staff member or student will be performing qualify as volunteer services and would normally require the volunteer to sign an agreement, the department may require the faculty or staff member or student to sign the agreement as well.
Yes. The language is intended to let individuals who do not work at the University know that if they volunteer they do not qualify for benefits. University faculty and staff who have medical insurance through the University are still covered by it, even while they are volunteering for the University.
Steps for performing checks may be found in the Administrative Manual on University Volunteers.
No. You only need to perform the check if the individual has not volunteered for your department before or it has been more than a year since you last checked.
Your department must consult with Human Resources regarding any additional checks to be performed in order to ensure that they are appropriate and adhere to applicable laws, regulations and policies.
That individual may not volunteer. The department may forward the information to its campus Human Resources department for further verification. Only if Human Resources is able to determine that the person listed on the registry and the potential volunteer are not the same person may the individual volunteer.
Human Resources has developed a web-based database for departments to log registry checks performed on volunteer applicants. This database will serve as the annual report required by the policy. Use your BoilerKey authentication to access the online volunteer reporting tool.
Calendar year, by Feb 28.