USC’s commitment to protecting youth on campus

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As a staple of our community, our university goes beyond the higher education of students enrolled to provide opportunities for local youth to learn, grow, and thrive. Every year, we host 40,000 minors across a variety of university-affiliated programs, activities, camps, and events – many of which take place during the summer. Entrusted with the care of those youth, we take great pride in our commitment to fostering a safe and supportive environment and our obligation to protect their well-being and safety.  

All USC faculty and staff have a responsibility to know and understand the Protecting Minors Policy requirements that are critical to keeping minors safe in our community and to fulfilling our legal and ethical obligations as individuals and as an institution. 

To ensure our offerings meet youth safety obligations, USC’s Office of Youth Protection and Programming oversees and promotes compliance with our youth protection policies and applicable laws, and serves as a centralized resource for all who engage with minors at the university by providing guidance, training, and support on related matters. 

With more than 100 youth programs taking place during the summer, the office would like to remind you of our shared youth protection-related responsibilities. 

THREE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR FACULTY AND STAFF 

Please review and re-familiarize yourself with these three key responsibilities: 

  1. Reporting obligations: All employees are required to report suspected child abuse and neglect as follows: 
  • Immediately report to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) by calling 800-540-4000 
  • Notify the Office of Youth Protection within 24 hours by submitting a report via USC’s Report & Response website. Choose “Protection of Minors” as the report type. 

Employees must also report any other serious concerns or violations involving minors (e.g., inadequate supervision, boundary violations, etc.) directly to USC’s Office of Youth Protection by submitting a report via USC’s Report & Response website. 

To better understand your youth protection-related reporting requirements, visit the Protecting Minors Reporting webpage where you can find step-by-step instructions and a short video on Reporting Responsibilities. 

  1. Activity registration: If you’re planning an event and it’s considered a covered activity under the Protecting Minors policy, you’ll need to register it to ensure it meets certain requirements. To learn about covered activities, what registration entails, and get started, visit the Registering Your Activity at USC webpage. 
  1. USC’s guidelines for interacting with minors: Just as modeling safe, respectful, and professional behavior with minors is crucial, understanding appropriate boundaries between adults and minors is key. If you see something that seems off or doesn’t align with the USC’s guidelines for interacting with minors, report it via USC’s Report & Response website. Remember, early reporting helps to support and maintain a culture of safety at USC.  

RESOURCES FOR FACULTY AND STAFF  

Below are some more ways you can help keep youth safe in our community and fulfill our university’s legal and ethical obligations. 

  • Join the Youth Protection Summer Information Session, taking place from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on June 3, to hear important reminders, new procedures, and answers to related questions in preparation for the upcoming summer season. Register on the Youth Protection Summer Information Session event page.  
  • Connect with our office either through virtual office hour sessions – taking place on the last Wednesday of each month from 9-10 a.m. – or by email at minors@usc.edu to ask questions, seek support, and talk with others across USC about matters related to the protection of minors.  

To learn more, visit the Protecting Minors website or email minors@usc.edu. 

Thank you for all you do to make USC a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for all!