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SPECIAL FOCUS

would require separate accommodations
for adults and youth participants, as well
as separate restroom facilities for each
gender.
Clear standards for supervision
standards will help promote effective
oversight of minors in residence halls
and other campus environments.
One common standard is to institute
specific staff-to-participant ratios that
must be adhered to by college- or
university-sponsored youth activities.
Several factors should be considered
when establishing supervisory ratios,
including risks of the activities, the age
and number of participants, location
of activities, and the experience of staff
and volunteers. Among other available
resources, supervisory ratios published by
the American Camp Association (ACA)
may help set a baseline. Another widely
accepted practice includes limiting the
opportunities for one-on-one interactions.

One problem, though, is that
tracking at the institutional level may

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ACUHO

Campus guest policies should also
establish minimum age requirements
for those who are allowed to stay
on campus. At Georgetown, guests
under the age of 16 are not permitted
in campus residence halls, unless
accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Other common practices include
requiring advance consent and releases
from parents or legal guardians,
limiting the number of consecutive
nights a minor is allowed to stay
on campus, establishing adequate
sign-in and sign-out procedures, and
mandating that minors be escorted by
the approved student host at all times.

Because there are so many entry
points that make it easy for minors to
come onto a campus, tracking them
is difficult. Among other institutions,
the University of Florida, Texas A & M
University in College Station, and Duke
University in Durham, North Carolina,
have all implemented comprehensive
tracking systems and have required
university youth activities to centrally
register prior to commencing activities.
Some of the data elements commonly
tracked include general program
information, schedules, locations,
staff and participant rosters, and
verification that program prerequisites
were completed. The focal point of
these systems is to link each program
session to the staff and minors involved
in those activities and to validate
compliance with formal requirements.

AR

IO

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA)
and other youth-serving organizations
have adopted rules that limit one-onone interactions, including online
interactions, and promote the presence of
more than one adult observer during all
interactions with minors.

ACUHO-I online learning programs provide
you with valuable professional development
experiences that are flexible enough to fit your
schedule and budget.

Take advantage of our recently enhanced online
learning system, and watch for information about
new courses and programs as we continue to add
to our portfolio.

Each program includes practical learning activities
that utilize adult learning principles. Throughout
the self-paced process you will draw from your
real-world experiences and apply what you learn
to your work at your home campus or institution.

Visit acuho-i.org/onlinelearning to find the
opportunities that fit best with your career path
and your professional development plan and
enroll today.

Learn more and enroll at acuho-i.org/onlinelearning
68

TALKING STICK
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Talking Stick - May/June 2015

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