Safety of Minors

View more information about the Safety of Minors policy on the Student Group Policies page.

If it is determined that your group will have to meet the Safety of Minors requirements for an event on campus, your group will be responsible for completing the following steps. Program staff/Volunteers include paid or volunteer students or staff that will be working with minors as part of the group’s event.

Program Staff/Volunteer Background Checks

Program staff/volunteers must complete a criminal background check, which includes a check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry (“sex offender registry”), both before hire or start of service and every three years thereafter.

• Campus Life Programs should work with their department to have the Office for Human Resources perform a background check on program staff/volunteers.
• Registered Student Organizations will need to coordinate background checks for program staff/volunteers. Groups can coordinate background checks by working with The McDowell Agency. Groups should set up background check package #3 to be performed on their program staff/volunteers. Groups do not need to collect personal information of program staff/volunteers. Program staff/volunteers will work directly with the agency to go through a background check.
• The McDowell Agency
  Contact: Tim Landsberger
  Local Phone: (651) 644-3880
  Email: tal@mcdowellagency.com

Program Staff/Volunteer Training

Program staff/volunteers must also complete a training course prior to participating in activities with minors. The course will cover, at a minimum, abuse awareness, safeguards for minors, and mandatory reporting requirements. Groups may choose to provide additional training in these areas. Completion of this training is required, at a minimum, every three years. The University provides a training course through the Training Hub site for students, staff and faculty.

Safety Guidelines

Program staff/volunteers must receive orientation to the position, including staff/participant interactions, supervision responsibilities, health and safety regulations, and emergency procedures. The document Expectations for Program Staff When Interacting with Minors is one option for conveying expectations with program staff/volunteers as part of the orientation process and would be a way to document that the group’s program staff/volunteers are aware of these expectations.