SUNY Oswego is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of children who participate in college-related programs and activities whether on or off campus. On Sept. 6, 2016, President's Council approved SUNY Oswego's Child Protection Policy. This act was in response to the SUNY Board of Trustees directive for all SUNY campuses to develop a policy on mandatory reporting and prevention of child sexual abuse. The SUNY-wide Child Protection Policy sets protocols and mandates for campuses to follow when SUNY schools have children in its custody, care and/or supervision.
As we move forward and are unsure of what the future holds given the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to let you know that should you have any questions or concerns pertaining Child Protection and to youth programming, that I am here to answer those questions and provide guidance to the best of my ability and based on what SUNY, the Oswego Forward Plan and the CDC recommends.
At this point in time, the Campus is NOT hosting any youth programs or activities sponsored by third-party organizations as we are trying to limit the amount of foot traffic on campus to help ensure the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff.
As we try to reduce the amount of foot traffic from off-campus folks as a means to protect our students, faculty and staff, for those who would like to host youth programs we are encouraging you to do so virtually. I have been working with our administration to create some guidance and tools that you will have at your fingertips to assist you.
To host a virtual youth program, you will need to register the youth program/activity by completing the online Registration Form. Under type of activity on the registration form, we have added "Online/Distance Learning" as an option to choose from -- please check this option if you plan to host a virtual youth program/activity. You will still need to provide a list of your "Authorized Covered Persons" along with their complete birthday as they will need to be vetted through the National and State Sex Offender Databases and will need to complete the required Child Protection Training, which can be done electronically through Google Classroom (which I will coordinate).
There are numerous virtual platforms that can be used for hosting youth programs. Please note that should you host a virtual youth program, I will need to approve the platform prior to the program/activity. To help guide you through the virtual program process for hosting youth programs/activities, I have 
created a guide (downloadable Word document) that will provide you with information and resources to help you achieve your programming goals and ensure compliance. There are a few additional forms that participants (and their parents/guardians) will need to complete prior to the program if participating in a virtual youth program.
created a guide (downloadable Word document) that will provide you with information and resources to help you achieve your programming goals and ensure compliance. There are a few additional forms that participants (and their parents/guardians) will need to complete prior to the program if participating in a virtual youth program.Participants along with their parents/guardians can complete these forms online. Once submitted, these forms come directly to me via email. To help ensure that all participants and parents/guardians have completed the required forms, I will need a copy of all those who have registered for the program/activity at least five business days prior to the start of the program/activity; therefore you will need to set a registration deadline for your event. Registration lists can be emailed directly to me and are confidential. If you would like to have copies of these forms in Word format, please let me know and I will email them to you.
While in-person youth programming is discouraged at this time, should you wish to host an in-person youth program, you will need to submit a request in writing, outlining a safety plan that adheres to the rules outlined in the Oswego Forward plan and meets CDC requirements for hosting a youth program during the COVID pandemic. You must submit your request with the required safety plan at least 30 business days prior to the proposed start date of the event. Upon review of your request and safety plan, you will be notified whether you can move forward with your youth program or if your request has been denied.
In the meantime, the SUNY Oswego Child Protection webpage webpage has been updated to reflect the changes to our Child Protection procedures and the requirements and resources available for virtual youth programming.
As we welcome back our students, faculty and staff to campus, please be well, take care and stay healthy. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Melissa Paestella
Conference Services and Child Protection Compliance Administrator