Precollege Programming

Welcome Ariel and Steven! Ariel is the new Program Coordinator for GEAR UP while Steven is the new administrative assistant for GEAR UP.

The purpose of this memorandum is to remind all faculty and staff who conduct youth outreach programs of the policy requirements for summer camps. Additionally, the office of Pre-College Programming is sharing this memo as one of many of our commitments to ensure all members of our community are supported and informed. If there is anything we can assist you all with, please do not hesitate to reach out.  The following is a list of policy guidance. 

1)    Register your summer camp through the Office of Pre-College Programming’s website at wmich.edu/precollege/programregistration. All programs must review and update, as necessary, their information annually through this website.  

2)    Please also enter your summer camp information at the following site: wmich.edu/precollege/summer/camps. We will advertise all summer camp opportunities to the community on one web page. Once you update your summer camp information via the above link, we will update your 2023 summer camp information for the community website. The summer camp website can be found at wmich.edu/precollege/summer. 

3)    Camps are required to follow the same policy for COVID as the WMU campus. Please see following link for WMU’s COVID 19 protocols: wmich.edu/covid-19.

4)    If your camp has housing needs, please contact Brett Strohkirch, Assistant Director of Residence Life, at brett.strohkirch@wmich.edu. 

5)    Please note changes in WMU policy for summer camps may occur if the State of Michigan changes its requirements and/or the University adjusts its policies; please be prepared to respond to changing protocols with COVID-19. As soon as the Pre-College Office is made aware of any changes, we will email all those registered in our pre-college database communicating the policy adjustment. 

In addition to the above criteria for 2023 summer camps, please also remember that additional expectations for youth outreach remain in effect:

1)    Review the updated Minors on Campus Policy approved by the Board of Trustees in April 2018 (renewed in 2022). The policy can be found at: wmich.edu/policies/minors.

2)    Ensure that employees working your camps have received appropriate training, including but not limited to instruction on the Minors on Campus Policy and expectations. The Office of Pre-College Programming can assist with summer camp training needs upon request. 

3)    Complete a background check for all new staff working with minors. Additionally, you should work with the appropriate Human Resource Representative to complete background checks every three years for all returning faculty, staff, student staff, and volunteers working with youth. Note that faculty and staff with a gap in employment of 6 months or longer will need to be background checked again upon rehire, even if it is within the three years per Human Resource Policy. Please refer to section 4.5.1 of the Minors on Campus Policy to determine which individuals need a background check and how often.

4)    Complete Admissions data cards for all youth participating within the pre-college program and/or submit names to Admissions to be uploaded into the Target X Salesforce System.

For more information on in-person summer camps or any of the processes outlined above, please contact the Office of Pre-College Programming at 269-387-2773 or via email at erika.carr@wmich.edu. Additional information on youth outreach, including sample required forms for summer camps, is available on the website at: wmich.edu/precollege. Thank you for your time; I appreciate your continued support of pre-college youth outreach. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Erika Carr, Director

Office of Pre-College Programming 

The Office of Pre-College Programming will be offering a Summer Camp Bootcamp for any faculty and staff coordinating summer camps.  This specific event is not required but participation in this event would count as your required policy training which is required as part of WMU’s Minors on Campus Policy.  The Bootcamp will cover the following topics: Minors on Campus Policy, Best Practices for Managing Student Behavior, Strategies for Student Engagement, Emergency Management, Recruitment, Community Partnerships, and Cultural Humility.  The Bootcamp will be held on Thursday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.  If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by March 31 to Kala Willette at kala.willette@wmich.edu.