About UNI STEM Camps

The UNI STEM camps follow the University's Policies for Youth Activities, Pre-Collegiate Programs and Camps. This includes meeting or exceeding the minimum adult to camper ratios of 1:12 for High School, 1:10 for 5th grade through Middle School, and 1:8 for 1st-4th grades. 

Program staff and volunteers participate in a background check. Background checks will also be completed annually for the UNI STEM administrative staff (STEM coordinator, secretary, camp summer assistant), who assist all STEM camp sessions.  STEM camp staff will wear a current year UNI STEM camp staff name tag throughout camp. The current year name event name tag is how you and your child can identify our event staff and tell them a part from other UNI employees, students and UNI fans. The staff who greet campers on the first day will also wear a current year UNI STEM camp staff t-shirt so that campers and parents can easily identify them.

The point of contact for all UNI STEM camps is the STEM Support Services Office, stemcamps@uni.edu. Contact information for each camp's session director is provided in the camp director email sent during the week prior to camp. Parents should contact our office or the camp director by phone or email to contact camp staff or their child during the camp session. This includes for family emergency.

All UNI STEM camps follow the three basic behavior guidelines and safety procedures outlined in the STEM Summer Camp Handout. Each camp session director may add additional behavior guidelines or rules based on the camp activities and safety precautions for specific camp activities. If campers must wear (or not wear) specific dress for camp (for example: long pants, full cover shoes and long hair tied up for visits to the metal casting center), then those expectations will be provided in the camp director email sent to parents/guardians during the week before camp. Campers who do not wear clothing that fit safety guidelines may be barred from specific activities (for safety reasons). Our summer camp handout also describes how staff will address illness, a missing camper, weather and other emergencies.

Your child's registration information. We ask for some specific information as a part of camper registration. We ask for this information to keep your child safe.

Camp Emergency Contact Person - In an emergency or if there is an issue, camp staff will always attempt to contact the parent/guardian listed on the registration form first. If that adult can not be reached, then camp staff will contact the emergency contact person. The camp registration form asks for the name, relationship and phone number of an emergency contact person. Please provide contact information for a second trusted adult (another parent/guardian, grandparent, aunt/uncle, family friend) in this section. The emergency contact person's information is not used to any other purpose except to reach a person hat you and your child trust when you are not available.

Medical Release and Health information - Agreement to the Medical Authorization and Summer Camp/Youth Programs Release is required for participation in UNI summer camp/youth programs. We also request some medical information about campers. The purpose of requesting medical information is to provide a safe and positive experience for our participants. Individual medical information questions are optional, please provide all of the information that will assist us to address the health and well-being of your child. Each camper's medical information is reviewed by the STEM coordinator, camp session director and camp first-aider prior to the start of camp.  

Image/Photo Release - The image/photo release also part of the registration process and is optional. Do we use camp photos to promote future camps? Yes! We want to show off the work of our staff and campers and grow our programs to reach more students. We also take photos to share with family and our student counselors sometimes take photos of themselves working with participants in order to enhance their portfolios. It is up to you if your child is in these photos or not.  

First aiders - Every camp session has at least one first aider who is currently certified in American Red Cross First Aid and CPR or has an equivalent or better certification. The camp first-aider will have a fully stocked and recently inventoried basic first-aid kit and is prepared to address common non-life threatening issues and to contact the parent/guardian and/or 911 for more serious issues. Our first aid kits do not contain medications such as aspirin, Tylenol, etc. and our first aiders can not provide medications to participants. If your child needs to take their own medication during camp, please describe this in the camp registration and we will contact you about options. 

The University of Northern Iowa does not discriminate in employment or education. Visit uni.edu/policies/1303 for additional information.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UNI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in one of our programs, please contact us at least one week prior to the event or describe the accommodation request when registering.

See Youth Activities, Pre-Collegiate Programs and Camps for additional information about UNI policies regarding camps.