TC's Protection of Minors Program
Teachers College is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of minors who participate in programs and activities sponsored or co-sponsored by TC.
At Teachers College, we are committed to safeguarding minors participating in both College-sponsored and Co-sponsored programs. Our policy applies to all events and programs involving unaccompanied minors under the age of 18, ranging from 1-day events to year-long programming, both in-person and virtually. This policy does not apply to minors who are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Recommended First Steps:
- If you will have minors attending your event or program without a parent or guardian present, the first step is to reach out to our Public Safety Team to schedule a brief check-in meeting with their office and the Office of General Counsel. Please email protectionofminors@tc.columbia.edu to schedule.
- We strongly recommend starting your preparations well in advance, ideally 30-45 days prior to your event or program.
College-Sponsored vs. Co-Sponsored Programs
There are two options to register your event or program. Sponsored programs are those fully organized by the College, while Co-sponsored programs are hosted in partnership with external organizations. Both types of programs require adherence to our safety guidelines. Please note that before any event, it is crucial to get signed approval from both your Department Chair and the Provost's Office on the registration form. This is a mandatory step for both College-sponsored and Co-sponsored programs.
For Co-sponsored events, please be aware of additional Certificate of Insurance requirements, both for DOE and non-DOE organizations.
Authorized Adults:
In order to become an Authorized Adult in line with Teachers College's Minors Policy, please see the steps below. These steps apply to all faculty and staff as well, and must be renewed every 5 years.
- Complete a background check
- NYS Mandated Reporter training - approx 1.5-2 hours; a copy of the certificate of completion will need to be provided.
- Signed Training Manual
Please view the checklist below to ensure compliance with TC’s Minors policy. Policy forms and templates are linked at the bottom of the page.
Policy and Forms:
- Protection of Minors Policy
- Registration Forms
- Authorized Adults
- Certificate of Insurance (COI)
- TC Parent/Guardian Permission Slip Template
- Safety and Emergency Evacuation Template