Essential Eligibility Criteria

ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Students enrolling in the Mountain Resilience Semester must meet the Essential Eligibility Criteria outlined below in an effort to ensure an appropriate fit for this immersive experiential education program. Please read these carefully before beginning your enrollment.

We welcome everyone regardless of their identities such as race, ethnicity, ability, age, class, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

This program will be emotionally, and physically rigorous and is designed to be challenging for every student. It is not designed to be a therapeutic program and staff members will not have a significant mental health background. This program is also not appropriate for students working through behavioral issues, under legal supervision, or adjudicated.

Students must be independently interested in pursuing this program. We will not accept any students who are being placed on this program by a parent, adult, or other interested party.

Western Colorado University reserves the right to deny admission to any student that we feel does not meet this criteria or demonstrates an unwillingness to live up to program expectations mandated by program leaders. Students may be removed without negotiation for falling short of program expectations and criteria below.

• Students must abide by all rules, guidelines and expectations set both before program launch and during the program.
• Students must follow the Code of Conduct presented by MRS program staff.
• Students must be able to be responsible for their own well-being and safety by staying hydrated, monitoring injuries and illnesses and asking for appropriate support when necessary. Students must be able to self-administer and manage any prescription medications assigned to them by a medical professional without reminders or intervention from program staff.
• Students must be able to fully participate in all program components including rigorous outdoor elements including backpacking, hiking, rafting, climbing, mountain biking, and other activities that may be incorporated in the program. For example, students must be able to carry a 30-40 pound backpack uphill for 2-3 hours at a time.
• Students must choose to participate in this program on their own free will.
• Students must be willing to co-exist in close quarters with other students and staff in this cohort without any discrimination towards sexual orientation, religion, gender, race, or other differences.

On-Program Expectations

• Be flexible, patient and open-minded in the face of new and challenging situations.
• Participate positively and fully in all group meetings and activities, understanding that this program is group-based and that at times I may be asked to put the group’s needs before my own.
• Commit to the successful implementation of all volunteer projects.
• Make my best effort to work and live respectfully with others within and outside the group.
• Maintain group cohesion by not becoming involved in any exclusive behavior, including being a part of a clique or isolating myself from the group in any way.
• Maintain presence by keeping your phone and electronics off during any activity that does not require them. There will be specific periods during which phone and electronics use will be appropriate. Phones may be used as cameras while in airplane mode at other times. Please understand that opportunities to charge electronics will be rare.
• Forgo the possession and/or consumption of tobacco products, un-prescribed drugs or alcohol of any kind.
• Abide by all local laws in the community/state/county/country where I am staying. Please note the legal age to consume cannabis in Colorado is 21. Cannabis is prohibited on this program, even for students age 21+ due to the potential for impaired decision-making.
• Participants must fully disclose mental health history and medical history in advance of the program. Mental health history or a history of therapy will not preclude admission or participation in the program.
• Acknowledge that WCU reserves the right to dismiss, without program fee refund or issuance of credit/service hours, and at the expense of the participant, those who do not meet this criteria or program expectations.

Code of Conduct

• Professionalism: The person cares for self, gear, people; follows directions well; is honest.
• Safety: The person operates in a safe and prudent manner; follows safety procedures.
• Group Dynamics: The person exhibits appropriate group behavior; shows leadership and/or followership skills.
• Drug/Alcohol Policy: The person does not use prohibited substances while on-campus, in town, or in the field (VIOLATION RESULTS IN IMMEDIATE REMOVAL FROM MRS PROGRAM).
• Self Responsibility: The person takes responsibility for his or her own actions and behavior. Students must be able to self-administer and manage any prescription medications assigned to them by a medical professional without reminders or intervention from program staff.
• Appropriate Conduct: The person makes no verbal, emotional or physical threats; he or she lends appropriate support to others; he or she does not evidence gender discrimination.
• Courtesy: The person shows common courtesy to other students, to staff, to guest instructors, partners, and to outsiders.
• Appropriate Language: The person avoids gratuitous profanity, hurtful comments.
• Respect: The person respects the environment, students, staff, self, and outsiders.
• Punctuality: the student is where he should be when he should be; he or she uses the itinerary well.