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To introduce minors to higher education and to specific areas of knowledge in a safe and secure environment.
The policy applies to the following members of the University community in NYU New York (excluding the NYU Medical Center/NYU School of Medicine, which maintains its own policy on minors) who take part in any program or activity that NYU sponsors or operates involving the participation of minors: (a) faculty, including visiting faculty; (b) researchers, including persons conducting research at or under the auspices of the University; (c) administrators and professionals; (d) other employees (including student employees); (e) fellows, trainees and post-doctoral appointees; (f) interns and volunteers; (g) students; and (h) others who are performing activities or providing services on behalf of the University, including consultants, vendors, and contractors.
The policy also applies to non-University organizations using NYU facilities for programs and activities involving minors that are not sponsored by NYU.
NYU Portal Campuses are expected to adopt this Policy in a manner and form that is consistent with local law, practice, and policy. NYU Study Away Sites which host, or plan on hosting, programs involving minors are also expected to adopt this Policy in a manner and form that is consistent with local law, practice, and policy.
Any program or activity that NYU New York sponsors or operates involving the participation of minors, as well as any program or activity involving minors that a non-University organization sponsors or operates through the use of NYU facilities. Programs or activities can include formalized courses of study, academic camps, mentoring activities, academic enrichment programs, athletic activities, internships, or other activities in laboratories and recreational programs.
The policy does not cover the following programs or activities, however:
1) Public events and other activities at which parents or other guardians are expected to provide supervision of minors in their care, or in which minors are patients and are expected to be accompanied by their parents or other guardian.
2) Programs or activities in which all of the minors being supervised are research subjects as outlined in the policies and procedures of the University Committee on Activities Involving Human Subjects.
A minor is a person under the age of eighteen (18) who is not enrolled in or accepted for enrollment in a degree-granting program at NYU. Students who are dually enrolled in NYU credit-granting courses while also enrolled in elementary, middle and/or high school are also considered minors for the purposes of this policy.
The Program Director of NYU sponsoring departments or units that wish to offer a program or activity involving minors or offer housing to minors participating in a program must register the program or activity with the Office of Youth Programs Compliance. Program directors of non-University organizations that wish to host a program for minors in University facilities must also register with the Office of Youth Programs Compliance. Registration can be completed in the Protection of Minors on Campus Registration System.
Registration for programs or activities that NYU sponsors or operates that involve overnight stays for minors in NYU residence halls, or which involve minors using University laboratories or equipment, should be submitted no later than two months prior to the date when the program or activity would begin.
Registration for all other programs or activities that NYU sponsors or operates, or for programs or activities that non-University organizations take part in involving minors in NYU facilities, should be submitted no later than one month prior to the date when the program or activity would begin.
For certain categories of programs involving minors and/or certain roles within those programs, prospective and current members of the University community selected to take part in the program will receive a conditional letter of participation or re-participation, as applicable, from the Office of Youth Programs Compliance. As part of the conditional letter to participate or re-participate, as applicable, in the program, the Office of Youth Programs Compliance may require the submission and verification of additional information.
Once all requirements have been satisfied, the Office of Youth Programs Compliance will enter a clearance date for each member of the University community participating in the program in the Protection of Minors Registration System. No member of the University community may take part in a program or activity involving minors until a clearance date has been entered.
All members of the University community who will be participating in a program or activity that is sponsored or operated by NYU must complete an online training each year that they participate in the program. (This requirement does not apply to students unless they will be acting in a capacity as an employee, intern, or volunteer, or will have one-on-one contact with a minor.)
Once the program is registered with the Office of Youth Programs Compliance, individuals who are required to complete the online training will be notified via email and will be provided a link to complete the online training program. Upon completion of the training, the member of the University community should forward his/her training confirmation email to his/her program director, in order for the training completion date to be updated in the registration system.
All members of the University community, as well as minors who will be working in and using the equipment of NYU laboratories, must also complete the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Lab Safety Training prior to commencing the program or activity. If EHS training is required, please visit the EHS training website to identify what training is needed. Please contact EHS at ehs@nyu.edu or 212-998-1450 with any questions. The Office of Youth Programs Compliance reserves the right to require additional or alternative training in order to satisfy the training requirements otherwise outlined in the Protection of Minors Policy.
For all programs or activities involving overnight stays, athletic or recreational activity, or working in NYU laboratories; off-site programs; and for any other programs or activities designated by the Office of Youth Programs Compliance, the sponsoring department or unit must collect the following forms from the parent or legal guardian of a minor prior to the participation of a minor in the covered program: (a) a signed release form, which describes the activities planned and (b) a medical treatment authorization form.
For information regarding insurance coverage and risks, please visit the Insurance and Enterprise Risk website. You can also contact FinanceLink at askfinancelink@nyu.edu or 212-998-1111 with any questions.
As part of the registration process, non-NYU organizations must certify electronically that all individuals from their organizations who will be interacting with minors in those programs or activities, and anyone who supervises such individuals: 1) have received training on (a) appropriate behavior when working with minors, and (b) recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect, and 2) have undergone further verification as required by the Office of Youth Programs Compliance. They must also certify that if the program/activity involves the use of lab, art, or other dangerous equipment, all program staff members and minors utilizing this equipment have received the appropriate lab safety training.
The Protection of Minors Policy prohibits:
1. Engaging in one-on-one contact with a minor in a closed/private area without the presence of at least one other adult member of the University Community, parent or legal guardian, unless approved by the Program Director in consultation with the Office of Youth Programs Compliance;
2. Engaging in sexual activity with a minor;
3. Making sexual comments or telling jokes of a sexual nature to or in the presence of a minor;
4. Touching a minor in a manner that could be reasonably interpreted as inappropriate;
5. Engaging in conversations regarding romantic, sexual or related manners unless in the role of a provider of health care or counseling, or faculty academically addressing materials of a sexual nature as part of a course, training, or classroom experience (i.e., consistent with academic freedom);
6. Engaging in communications with a minor through any method – email, text message, telephone, social media, etc. – outside of academic or programmatic need;
7. Using, possessing, or being under the influence of drugs or alcohol while on duty or responsible for a minor’s welfare; (Please see NYU's Drug- and Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy)
8. Engaging in any other behavior prohibited under applicable University policy; or
9. Otherwise abusing or neglecting a minor.
If a minor is in immediate danger of bodily harm or otherwise requires emergency medical assistance, a member of the University community or of the non-University organization must call 911 immediately (and should also contact Public Safety, as appropriate). In addition, any member of the University Community participating in programs or activities in NYU facilities involving minors, who knows, suspects, or receives information indicating that a minor in such program or activity has been abused or neglected, including suspected sexual abuse, must contact the NYU Wellness Exchange at 212-443-9999. Where the suspected or reported abuse is sexual in nature, the University community member may also be required to report the incident to NYU’s Title IX Coordinator at 212-998-2352. Please see NYU’s Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Violence and Stalking Policy for more information. All other prohibited behavior should be reported in a manner that is consistent with the applicable University Policy.
The Protection of Minors Policy requires:
1. Watching for and reporting any behavior prohibited under the policy;
2. Maintaining high standards of personal behavior when working with minors;
3. Treating all minors consistently and with respect;
4. Maintaining discipline and discourage inappropriate behavior; and
5. Consulting with the appropriate person(s) of authority when uncertain about a situation involving a minor.
NYU employees or members of non-NYU organizations who are considered “Mandated Reporters” by NY State Law are required to report suspected child abuse and maltreatment to the New York State Office of Child and Family Services Hotline at 800-342-3720. In addition, any member of the University Community taking part in a program involving minors who has reasonable cause to suspect that a Minor in such program is being or has been abused or neglected must contact the NYU Wellness Exchange at 212-443-9999.
For more information on who is considered a Mandated Reporter under NY State law please see the Summary Guide for Mandated Reporters in New York State.
The University will maintain the confidentiality of a report/complaint and the privacy of the persons involved to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the appropriate University policy and to the extent permitted by law.
The Office of Youth Programs Compliance will enforce this Policy in conjunction with the appropriate offices of NYU.
Violations of this Policy may result in the non-approval or immediate termination of the program, and disciplinary action against members of the University Community (up to and including termination of employment or services, as applicable), consistent with NYU policy.
For questions, contact PeopleLink at askpeoplelink@nyu.edu or 212-992-LINK (5465).