13.21 Youth Programs

Review Deadline

Thursday, January 25, 2024

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 federal, state, Board of Regents, State of Iowa and University policies relating to the reporting of child abuse, and following operational guidelines as they relate to youth on campus.

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:

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.
UNI Office of Admissions’s Campus Visit Program.
UNI research projects with youth participating as human subjects. The Institutional Review Board is responsible for these policies and guidelines.
Activities subject to UNI’s Protection of Children in the Workplace Policy (e.g. job shadow, experiential learning, interviews, etc.). This policy compliments and does not replace UNI’s 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:

Any university employee who is operating a program or activity that is outside of the scope of employment or employment contract obligations.
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.

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 UNI’s Facilities Use Policy. Any Documentation of Agreements generated under UNI’s Facilities Use Policy 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 UNI’s Duty to Report Child Abuse Policy.

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

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

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

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 UNI’s Retaliation and Misconduct Reporting Policy 13.19.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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