13.21 Youth Activities, Pre-Collegiate Programs and Camps

Purpose

As part of its educational mission the University of Northern Iowa is involved with many programs that include youth, including those programs operated by third parties using university facilities.  The university places the highest priority on the protection and safety of youth participating in youth programs, compliance with local, state and federal regulations, Board of Regents policies, and University policies relating to the reporting of child abuse, and following operational guidelines as they relate to youth on campus. 

Policy Statement

The University of Northern Iowa is committed to protecting youth who participate in University Youth Programs and Third Party Youth Programs. All University Youth Programs must be authorized and comply with this policy and its related procedures. Any facility use agreement for a Third Party Youth Program must include youth protection requirements as deemed appropriate by Risk Management or the Office of University Counsel.

Definitions

Youth - A person who is less than eighteen years old. For the purposes of this Policy, it excludes youth employed, enrolled, or accepted for enrollment at the University of Northern Iowa.

University Youth Program - Any organized event, activity, operation, or endeavor, conducted or sponsored (including programs co-sponsored with a third party) by the university that includes Youth participants regardless of location. For the purposes of this Policy, it excludes:

Chapter 13: General Policies
  1. Events or activities where parents, guardians, preK-12 schools, or other entities are expected to be responsible for the care, custody, or control of Youth participants.
  2. UNI Office of Admissions’s Campus Visit Program.
  3. UNI research projects with youth participating as human subjects. The Institutional Review Board is responsible for these policies and guidelines.
  4. Activities subject to Policy 13.22 Protection of Children in the Workplace Policy. This policy compliments and does not replace Policy 13.22 Protection of Children in the Workplace Policy.

University Youth Program Personnel - Anyone working with Youth, including faculty, staff, students, volunteers or others who will work with Youth, in the course of a University Youth Program. This definition does not include individuals who are infrequently invited solely to present during a University Youth Program, where the time and interaction between the individual and Youth is limited and under the supervision of University Youth Program Personnel.

Third Party Youth Program - A youth program occurring on university property but being operated by an individual, organization or entity external to the university. The university may lease or provide facilities to the third party but is not involved in the sponsorship, operations, supervision or management of the youth program. This includes, but is not limited to, programs operated by:

  1. Any university employee who is operating a program or activity that is outside of the scope of employment or employment contract obligations.
  2. University student organizations.

University Youth Programs

Approval Process

University Youth Programs are required to be approved by the appropriate Dean(s) or Division Head(s). University Youth Programs must be approved at least annually.

Organizers of a University Youth Program must make the appropriate Dean(s) or Division Head(s) aware of any university resources being utilized as part of a University Youth Program and financial terms should be negotiated if appropriate to allow for the University Youth Program to adequately compensate the University for the use of university equipment and facilities.  

Registration Process

All approved University Youth Programs are required to be registered with the Youth Programs Committee. University Youth Programs must register at least annually. 

Advertisement

Only approved and registered University Youth Programs may be advertised.

Standards of Behavior

University Youth Programs are required to have written standards of behavior for both Youth and University Youth Program Personnel. 

University Requirements

University Youth Programs are required to meet or exceed the requirements outlined in the procedures of this policy.

Systems

Information technology solutions utilized by University Youth Programs must be pre-approved by UNI Information Technology prior to their use, this includes but is not limited to solutions related to participant registration, data storage and payment.  Payment solutions must also be approved by the Office of Business Operations.

University Youth Program Personnel

Background Checks

Background checks as prescribed by the Youth Programs Committee, must be completed for University Youth Program Personnel in a manner dictated by Human Resource Service.

Training

University Youth Program Personnel must complete youth protection training as outlined by the Youth Programs Committee and must be trained on the written standards of behavior for their program. 

Third Party Youth Programs

This policy compliments and does not replace Policy 8.02 Facilities Use. Any Documentation of Agreements generated under Policy 8.02 Facilities Use for a Third Party Youth Program will include youth protection requirements as deemed appropriate by Risk Management or the Office of University Counsel. Such requirements may include insurance, background checks, training, and standards of behavior.  

Duty to Report

Suspected child abuse must be reported as outlined in Policy 13.20 Duty to Report Child Abuse.  

Clery crimes must be reported as outlined in Policy 7.08 Clery Act Compliance. 

Actual or suspected discrimination or harassment must be reported as outlined in Policy 13.02 Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct.

Accidents and injuries should be reported as outlined in Policy 7.02 Accident/Injury Reporting.

Retaliation is a violation of University policy. The University will not tolerate acts of retaliation against an individual who reports suspected or observed misconduct, or cooperates in an investigation of misconduct. Additional information can be found in Policy 13.19 Retaliation and Misconduct Reporting.

Compliance 

Organizers of a University Youth Program are primarily responsible for ensuring that their program is compliant with this and other university policies. Department Heads are expected to provide oversight management of any University Youth Program sponsored by their department. Violations of this policy by employees of UNI may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

University Youth Programs not in compliance with this policy may be denied permission to continue at the University of Northern Iowa. 

Youth Programs Committee

The Youth Programs Committee shall create, review, and assess procedures related to this policy. The Executive Vice President & Provost shall appoint a chair for this committee. The Youth Programs Committee shall minimally consist of:

  • Two representatives from Academic Affairs
  • Representative from Student Life
  • Representative from Athletics
  • Representative from Finance and Operations

Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Youth Programs Committee Chair, the current chair and committee members are listed on the Youth Programs Committee’s website.

Additional Resources:

Procedures for Youth Activities, Pre-collegiate Programs and Camps: http://www.uni.edu/policies/youth-activities-pre-collegiate-programs-and-camps-procedures

Guidelines for Hiring Minors at the University of Northern Iowa https://hrs.uni.edu/supervisors/hiring-minors

 

Policy 4.02 Staff Recruitment and Hiring: https://policies.uni.edu/402

Policy 7.08 Clery Act Compliance: https://policies.uni.edu/708

Policy 8.02 Facilities Use: https://policies.uni.edu/802

Policy 13.20 Duty to Report Child Abuse:  http://www.uni.edu/policies/1320

Policy 13.22 Protection of Children in the Workplace: http://www.uni.edu/policies/1322

Policy 13.03 Equal Opportunity and Non-discrimination Statement: http://www.uni.edu/policies/1303

Policy 13.16 Use and Security of Protected Health Information:  https://policies.uni.edu/1316

 

University Counsel, approved November 21, 2023 
University Council, approved February 12, 2024 
President, approved June 14, 2024 
[Last reviewed and/or updated 6/2024, 12/2013]