To: The Oregon State University Community
From: Edward Feser, Provost and Executive Vice President
Dan Larson, Vice Provost for Student Affairs
November 27, 2019
To the Oregon State University community,
Effective 10/23/19, the university adopted University Policy 07-040 (Safety of Minors), which enhances and codifies policies and procedures for youth programs, as well as setting new standards for all interactions between OSU personnel and minor participants (under age 18).
Notable requirements outlined in this policy include:
- Clarification of reporting obligations for all OSU employees as 24/7 mandatory reporters of child abuse, both during and outside of work duties;
- Responsibilities of non-employees and volunteers to report suspected child abuse or neglect when serving in an OSU youth program;
- Restrictions on one-on-one contact and communications between a minor and an employee or other authorized adult in an OSU program;
- Pre-activity registration for university-operated and university-hosted youth programs, and requirements for all individuals with direct access to minors, including minimum training standards and criminal history checks.*
Going forward, Vice Provost Dan Larson will appoint a university committee to enhance and support the work of the Office of Youth Safety & Compliance, which provides oversight of the new policy and related compliance functions. The committee will be composed of representatives from our faculty, as well as the departments of Public Safety, Equal Opportunity and Access, Risk Services, Human Resources and the Office of General Counsel. This group will engage in periodic review of OSU’s youth protection policies and trends, including quarterly compliance reports provided by the Director of Youth Safety & Compliance.
Our institution is part of a growing youth protection movement within higher education, and this new policy represents an affirmative and proactive stance on OSU’s part with regard to safety of minors. It is important for individual units to review the policy to ensure full compliance of all OSU affiliated programs and outreach activities.
For questions about the Safety of Minors Policy, or to register upcoming events and activities involving minors, please visit the Youth Safety & Compliance website at youth.oregonstate.edu.
*Questions regarding criminal history check (CHC) policies and procedures should be directed to the Office of Human Resources at [email protected] or 7-0549.
Sincerely,
Edward Feser, Provost and Executive Vice President
Dan Larson, Vice Provost for Student Affairs