With the fall semester underway and more on-site activities and events taking place, the university community is being reminded about the importance of the Children on Campus Standard Practice Guide — SPG 601.34.
“The policy is intended to create a positive environment that promotes the health, wellness, safety, and security of children (minors) participating in programs, events and research studies at U-M,” said Brian Smith, interim executive vice president and chief financial officer.
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“And it applies to all children-related U-M programs and events as well as research studies involving children as participants, whether they occur on campus, virtually or at an off-site location, and programs and events held by others at university facilities.”
All U-M administrators, employees, students and volunteers who work with children are required to comply with the policy, which covers the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses as well as Michigan Medicine. In addition, the policy now includes all study team members who interact with children as research participants.
The Office of Research Compliance Review, based in the Office of the Vice President for Research, will work with schools, colleges and units across the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses and Michigan Medicine to ensure full compliance throughout the research community.
Children on Campus Policy requirements for programs and events include:
- Registration with the Children on Campus Program.
- Criminal background screenings must be completed — and repeated every two years — for adults who have supervisory responsibilities or direct interactions with children participating in programs and events.
- Completing standardized forms, such as permission slips, transportation forms, and medical authorizations by parents or legal guardians of any children participating in UM-sponsored programs and events.
- Special training requirements for all adults working with children.
- Reporting obligations for violations of the university’s code of conduct or criminal activity, medical emergencies and suspected abuse or neglect of children.
Children on Campus Policy requirements for research studies include:
- Criminal background screenings must be completed — and repeated every two years — for study team members who have interactions with children participating as subjects in research.
- Special training requirements for all study team members who have interactions with children participating as subjects in research.
- Abiding by the university’s code of conduct for interacting with children.
- Reporting obligations for any violations of the university’s code of conduct and suspected abuse or neglect of children.
Over the past several months — and particularly to mitigate the impact the COVID-19 virus has had on children’s programs and events at U-M — administrators of the Children on Campus Program have developed additional resources:
- Safety protocols for on-site programs and events.
- Guidelines for conducting virtual programs, including a program and event checklist, training, technical resources, and updated forms.
- Social media guidelines.
- COVID-19 guidelines and resources specifically for children’s programs and events.
- Updated information about emergency preparedness.
“As part of its ongoing effort to offer enhanced services for parents and guardians, as well as program and event administrators, the Children on Campus Program is also now offering — at no cost — CampDoc, an automated, customizable program that offers a variety of benefits such as online registration, electronic form submission and invoicing,” Smith said.
CampDoc is not applicable to the research community.
For general questions, contact Kate Rychlinski, assistant director of Risk Management Services, at kmrychli@umich.edu or 734-763-1587, or Denne Lawton, program coordinator, at delawton@umich.edu or 734- 763-8380. For questions about research, email ResearchWithMinors@umich.edu.
