Supervision Ratios
It is important to have supervision ratios in place that help ensure the safety of our participants and the quality of our programs. The American Camps Association (ACA) has recommended the following:
| Participant Age | Number of Staff | Overnight Participants | Day-Only Participants |
| 5 years and younger | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 6-8 years | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 9-14 years | 1 | 8 | 10 |
| 15-18 years | 1 | 10 | 12 |
Staff Screening & Selection
It is important to have a thorough process for staff screening and selection because a background check alone will not always provide a complete picture of a person’s past behavior. The American Camps Association recommends incorporating additional elements to your staff selection process like reference checks, interviews, a comprehensive application, previous experience working with children, etc. in order to help to minimize the potential for risks related to abuse (in whatever form). A comprehensive, documented selection process will help create an atmosphere that is conducive to a safe and meaningful experience for participants and program staff.
Below are a couple resources and examples for what to consider when developing your staff selection and screening process.
Housing
If your program will be hosting participants overnight, there are several options available – TAMU Residence Halls, off campus residence halls (not affiliated with the University), and area hotels. To get more information on these options, please look through the links below.
Dining
There are several options for your participants’ meals and snacks – campus dining facilities, University Catering, and catering from local restaurants (as University catering policy permits). Many of our programs tend to use the two main dining centers – Sbisa on the north side of campus and Duncan on the south side of campus – because of the close proximity to programming and the variety of food options available. Please check the options below!
Places to Eat On Campus
University Catering
If your program will be bringing in food from an outside caterer, please be sure that doing so meets the requirements of the University catering policy. You will need to submit the Food Distribution Using Caterers Form to TAMU Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) no later than seven (7) working days prior to your event. If you program will be preparing their own meals and/or snacks, you may be required to submit a Food Distribution Form to EHS no later than seven (7) working days prior to your event. If you have any questions, please contact TAMU Environmental Health & Safety at 979-845-2132 or ehsd@tamu.edu.
It is recommended that Program Sponsors check with participants and staff before the beginning of the program to determine whether there will be any specific dietary needs, restrictions, or requests.
Facility Reservations
When utilizing facilities on campus for program activities, the different facilities will have separate processes for reserving space. Each department will oversee reservations in their individual buildings. Third party programs should work with your CPM Sponsor to reserve facilities that will meet program needs. Below are several links for commonly used facilities for youth programming activities:
University Center & Special Events
Memorial Student Center, John J. Koldus Building, Rudder Theatre Complex, Rudder Tower, and more.
Recreational Sports
Student Recreation Center, Penberthy Rec Sports Complex, Omar Smith Instructional Tennis Center, and PEAP Building
Athletics Facilities
Venues within Kyle Field and Reed Arena
Hildebrand Equine Complex
A variety of classroom, meeting and event spaces
TAMUG Campus Recreation Facilities
Campus Recreation Center, Sea Aggie Fitness Center, The Studio, outdoor pool tennis courts, and sand volleyball courts
Transportation & Parking
If your program will be transporting participants or if you need parking accommodations, Transportation Services may be able to assist as well as other outside vehicle renting/transportation vendors. When transporting participants, it is important to confirm that the appropriate certifications and insurance is certified according to the mode of transportation and that the certificates/licenses are up to date (this also includes golf carts and the like).
Traveling Abroad
If travelling abroad, it is important that you begin working with the Texas A&M University Study Abroad Office a minimum of 3-6 months prior to departure to help ensure a safe and successful experience.