Policies/Procedures

Eligibility

1. Trips are open to all Ohio State recreational sports members.
2. You must be at least 18 years of age to participate on Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) trip programs.
3. Consumption or possession of drugs and/or alcohol is prohibited in any Outdoor Adventure program. This is ground for immediate dismissal at the participant’s cost.
4. You must attend the pre-trip meeting or you will not be allowed to participate in the scheduled trip.  You shall not receive a refund.
5. Complete and sign all medical, waivers, and release forms.
6. It is mandatory that you have your own health insurance for the trip. For international programs, it is the participant’s responsibility to make sure the policy is valid outside of the U.S. (Since students usually have Ohio State health insurance, this will likely be applicable to affiliate members only.)
7. Most trips will have group housing in tents, shelters, hotels, or bunkhouses. There will be no accommodations made for exclusive relationships.
8. Trips will start and end at a specific location. If a participant is not at the designated site on time, the university will not delay the start of the trip.

Registration

1. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
2. When signing up for a trip, a 50% deposit must be paid to secure a space. The remainder of the amount must be paid by the Tuesday prior to the trip date.
3. Members can reserve a spot on a trip in person only during OAC open hours.  At that time, a credit card number and expiration date is required to reserve a spot.  By providing the credit card information and reserving and/or participating in the trip, the member authorizes the university to charge any fees and other amounts due from the reservation and/or participation in the trip.
4. The member will receive a refund if they can find a substitute participant prior to the pre-trip meeting or if they have a documented medical emergency. The refund will be processed only upon payment of the trip fee by the substitute participant.
5. The OAC reserves the right to cancel any trip because of weather, low enrollment, or other unforeseen circumstances. The member will receive a full refund if the university cancels the trip. The OAC shall have no liability for cancellation of a trip.
6. No refunds are paid in cash. Refund checks take 2-4 weeks to process.
7. If all spots for a trip are filled, the OAC will accept persons for a waitlist.  If a spot becomes available prior to the pre-trip meeting, we will notify the first person on the waitlist by telephone or e-mail. If that person agrees to participate, they will go through the process dictated in step 3. It is recommended that all prospective participants attend the mandatory pre-trip meeting, even those still on the waitlist at that time.  Otherwise, waitlisted members will not be allowed to go on the trip even if a spot becomes available.

Cost

1. The trip fees vary from program to program. They may cover all or a portion of: food, transportation, fuel, lodging, leaders, contracted outfitters, tips, and group gear.
2. You are responsible for any personal camping gear items, your own clothing and footwear, as well as items not covered in your specific programs cost as identified at the pre-trip meeting.
3. Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from the starting location, which is typically the OAC, and any expenses incurred along the way.