Supervision of Minors
University Policy 8.8 requires that Cornell-affiliated programs meet or exceed the following supervision ratios:
| Participant Age Group | Number of residential (overnight) participants** | Number of non-residential participants** | Number of authorized persons* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 and under | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| 6-8 years | 6 | 8 | 1 |
| 9-14 years | 8 | 10 | 1 |
| 15-18 years | 10 | 12 | 1 |
| *There must be a minimum of two authorized persons supervising participants in order to prevent one-on-one interactions. Programs that have participants of all genders should make every effort to include authorized persons of all genders. | |||
| **Based on the nature and duration of the program, the activities planned, and the population served, CYS reserves the right to require more authorized persons than the minimum requirement. Lower ratios may be utilized for certain passive activities; consult the CYS office for guidance. | |||
Note: Ratios apply only to adults actively assigned to supervise minors. Individuals who are:
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Supervision Means:
- Participants are within sight, except for infrequent momentary periods.
- Participants are within reasonable hearing distance of an authorized person who is trained to recognize inappropriate or dangerous activities and is aware of their obligation to report.
- There are no lapses in supervision, even during breaks in scheduled activities.
- Minors are never left to traverse campus independently while in Cornell's care.
Authorized Persons:
- Should have a clear understanding of their responsibilities regarding supervision of the minor participants.
- Should be actively and directly monitoring youth and scanning the environment for safety.
- Older minors may never be included in ratios or be responsible for supervising younger minors.
| These activities and locations have been shown to have a higher incidence rate of abuse and therefore require a higher level of diligence in monitoring and supervision: | Activities and Locations
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|---|---|
HIGH-RISK ACTIVITIES: |
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HIGH-RISK LOCATIONS: |
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All activity with minors in Cornell programs must be observable and interruptible. Private, one-on-one contact between authorized persons and minors should be minimized and may only occur when vital to the structure of the program and has been approved by RMI/CYS with written parental consent.