In these groups, many outdoor activities were taking place in high-risk environments such as unsupervised or lightly-patrolled areas with unreliable or no cell phone service. Proximity to emergency services also is a consideration, Powers said.
Posted on 04/23/2018 2:10:53 AM PDT by BBell
After logging enough miles to hike around the world more than four times, Penn State has decided it's too risky for the campus Outing Club to go on student-led outings.
A risk assessment by the university led to the decision, says a statement on the Outing Club's web page.
The club's outings were deemed to be "above the University's threshold of acceptable risk for recognized student organizations," said the statement.
This spring, campus recreation, a division of student affairs, decided to evaluate its 79 student-led programs, said Lisa Powers, Penn State spokeswoman. It found 20 clubs had "elements of risk," and three had high-risk activities: the outing, caving and scuba clubs.
In these groups, many outdoor activities were taking place in high-risk environments such as unsupervised or lightly-patrolled areas with unreliable or no cell phone service. Proximity to emergency services also is a consideration, Powers said.
Starting next semester, the club says it will no longer be organizing and running outdoor student-led trips.
But Powers said it is not true that the club can no longer go on trips.
"Although these clubs are being re-organized as to their specific student-led activities, the outdoor activities for all interested students will continue under the professional guidance of the Campus Recreation staff," Powers said.
"We are having ongoing discussions with all of the clubs about how they may transition to a more safe model. Trips and excursions will continue to be carried out by our Outdoor Adventures program within Student Affairs," she said.
She said the Outdoor Adventures program requires training and emergency preparedness for student leaders, and spends more than 120 hours per student on training the trip leaders.
The Outing Club's officers said they are working with the university to "find the appropriate structure within the University to continue to foster this ever-growing outdoor community."
"I think it's fair to say that Penn State is interested in allowing reasonable risks in the activities of our recognized student organizations, and we continuously balance activities with risk tolerance for all University-affiliated activities," Powers said.
According to the history of the club on its web site, the group helped develop several trails in central Pennsylvania including the Mid-State Trail system, and also worked on trails in the Adirondacks. It led to formation of several other outdoor clubs at Penn State, including the university's ski club and ski patrol.
Members have logged enough miles to hike around the world more than 4 times, paddled enough leagues to cross the Great Lakes twice, and climbed higher than every major peak in the Southern Hemisphere, says the club.
The club will continue holding scheduled activities this semester, and is asking students to supply feedback on the decision, as well as stories of club activities over the years.
The Post-Gazette reports the risk review, which included all student groups involved in recreation, took two months. Also reportedly told to end trips were the Nittany Grotto Caving Club and the Nittany Divers SCUBA Club.
Commenters on the issue on Reddit question why rugby, floor hockey and even football aren't being shut down as well.
"This makes my blood boil...This is an appalling decision made by the university and people need to know who is directly responsible," said one commenter.
"Football is way more dangerous. I mean you can hike and camp if you're old and feeble, no one wants to get hit by a 240 lb. linebacker at 20 mph," said another.
"This is absurd. I had a great time with PSOC and never once felt unsafe. Penn State should focus its efforts on the rampant sexual assault, rape, drinking, drug use, academic cheating, hazing, shutting down of free speech, and other retarded s... going on in its campuses. Not a bunch of outdoors enthusiasts looking to enjoy the outdoors," said another comment."
In these groups, many outdoor activities were taking place in high-risk environments such as unsupervised or lightly-patrolled areas with unreliable or no cell phone service. Proximity to emergency services also is a consideration, Powers said.
“Outing Club”
Apparently not what I thought it was at first...
I thought a “outing club” was the ones where you publicly identify the Homo.
Is Penn State going to reject international students also? I mean, they’re so far from home and America is such a scary place one cannot be allowed “outside” where one can’t be supervised and protected from themselves.
We might as well lock this generation in the padded rooms now, because this kind of mental manipulation is sending them there anyway.
Outing. Another word hijacked by the homos.
All universities need to eliminate all funding for non-academic diversions. As much as I approve of this rare positive group, we should not include support for an “outing club” in tuition - and we also should not include support for the other 1033 student organizations funded by students who should be there for an education.
So much for climbing Mt. Nittany.
Do the “high risk” clubs that are being shut down have a record of injuries? Or does the idea of being outdoors without a full bubble wrap suit and a personal nanny scare some pencil neck administrator who has never worked up a sweat?
My thoughts exactly. If they were to have padded rooms for all Penn State students, they would have to change the name of the University to Penned State. They would have to hire an army of inspectors to make sure the student pens met all safety requirements to prevent any possibility of injury.
Of course, with an army of safety inspectors, Penn State's ivy tower dwellers would be assigned an aid to make sure they rolled out of their cars and got to their office executive chairs without falling on their fat asses.
There is Greenwich Village and Fire Island around here. But I assume people living there have already been ‘outed’ by others or more likely by themselves.
Unless of course the “outings” are to protest guns, the Constitution, or the Bible....
Betcha they’d let them go if the students signed liability waivers....
So now restricted to tea parties in the back yard under supervision?
Staff diddling with boys was not considered a high risk activity, however. That they let go on for years.
It killed the enthusiasm of nearly everyone.
Lwhy not, liquor store owners and drug dealers will be happier with no student activity groups.
Afraid of lawsuits.
Life just isn’t safe anymore.
I think the snowflakes would melt if the campus announced a Tea Party event.
Why? Are there coaches that go with them and molest them?
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