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University of California, Santa Cruz

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About Adventure Rec

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Our Mission

UC Santa Cruz Adventure Rec is a program in the Department of Athletics & Recreation. Adventure Rec’s mission is to provide UCSC students with outdoor experiences that promote student leadership, social belonging, personal growth and a sense of accomplishment. Adventure Rec programs are united by common threads of openness and authenticity, adventure and discovery, challenge and accomplishment, and gratitude and joy. 

Cornerstones of Adventure

Student Leadership

Adventure Rec trains student leaders to facilitate real adventures for other students. Rec Leaders are trained in an extensive outdoor leadership curriculum which includes judgment and decision making, teaching methods, facilitating personal growth and positive group dynamics, co-leadership, outdoor skills development and risk management. 

Social Belonging

Student connections develop quickly through small group participation in real adventures. Trips tend to be infused with laughter, joy and an openness to be oneselves in an environment free of the distractions that can keep us isolated.

 

Personal Growth & Sense of Accomplishment

Leaders facilitate adventures that challenge students to support each other towards true accomplishments. Lifelong friendships regularly form through the bonds of supported challenge and accomplishment.

Student Experience

Adventure Rec offers more off-campus trips than any other UC outdoor program. Registration opens at the beginning of each quarter ,with nearly every spot filling within the first hour. Waitlists commonly exceed enrollment. 

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Financial Support

Fundraising is at the foundation of Adventure Rec's mission to provide low cost adventures and leadership opportunities to hundreds of UC Santa Cruz students. Adventure Rec recieves support from multiple different fundrasing campaigns and other financial support. 

 

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The Nik Madsen Endowment for Whole Heart Leadership

A 2016 UC Santa Cruz graduate, Nik Madsen was a student Rec Leader and a Wilderness Orientation leader.  Nik was one of the kindest, most thoughtful and joyful student leaders ever at the Rec. 

The family of Nik Madsen created this endowment in 2018 to further outdoor leadership development among Adventure Rec student leaders. Since its inception, the endowment has grown to over $200,000. 

Each year, funds provide Rec student staff and volunteers with professional outdoor leadership opportunities. In our most recent year, we had a record amount to allocate ($4,000) with six students receiving funding awards of $200-$760. 

Learn more about student recipents of the Madsen endowment awards

 

 

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Giving Day

In November, Adventure Rec participants in the campus wide Giving Day Campagin. Each year funds raised directly reduce student trip cost, or fund leadership development opportunities for student staff. To read about Giving Day, click here. 

Banff Mountain Film Festival

For over 30 years, Adventure Rec has been hosting the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Proceeds for the film festival go towards subsidizing the cost of student trips. Last year, Adventure Rec subsidized $25,000 worth of trips and equipment rental.

 

 

 

 

Refund Policy & Participation Expectations

 

Refunds, Withdraws and Cancellations Policies:

  • You may withdraw from an activity by contacting the Adventure Rec office 831-459-2806; adventurerec@ucsc.edu
  • If you withdraw seven days or more prior to the activity start date, a full refund is issued only if someone from the waitlist is able to take your spot.
  • If you withdraw less than seven days prior to the activity start date, no refund is issued.
  • The group size minimum is typically five participants (surf classes minimum is three). If the minimum number does not show up at the trip start, the trip may be canceled. If the trip is canceled as a result of not meeting the minimum, only those who showed up will receive a full refund.
  • If a trip is canceled by Adventure Rec due to weather, air quality, low enrollment, or other reasons, full refunds are issued to all participants enrolled on that trip.

Behavioral Expectations

Adventure Rec activities build connections, are often filled with laughter and adventure, and require thoughtful participation in small groups. The following activities could detract from positive participation, compromise safety, may be illegal, and are prohibited during Adventure Rec activities:

  • Possesion of or use of alcohol 
  • Possession of or use of drugs, including cannabis
  • Nudity, including skinny dipping
  • Violations of these expectations are grounds for immediate removal from the activity and subsequent disciplinary actions from the University.

Essential Eligibility Criteria

The Essential Eligibility Criteria are applicable for all Adventure Rec activities. Qualification for participation in Adventure Rec activities is contingent on a person meeting the program specific EEC’s. If an applicant does not meet specific criteria, Adventure Rec might be able to accommodate an individual, but may not if it fundamentally alters the nature of the program activity, places an undue financial burden on the department or university, or jeopardizes the health and well being of participants or staff.

View the full description of Adventure Rec's Essential Eligibility Criteria.

Insurance

Adventure Rec does not provide insurance for participants. We strongly encourage all participants, including non-students, to have appropriate health care coverage.

Assumption of Risk

Adventure Rec is committed to doing everything possible to manage risk and maintain safety. Of course no guarantees of safety can be provided. All participants are required to sign an assumption of risk, releasing Recreation and the University from liability.

Evacuations

University staff reserve the right to make decisions to evacuate participants. Evacuations may be deemed necessary for physical, emotional or psychological incidents.

If a participant requires an evacuation for any reason, they are fully responsible for the costs.