Can you say, unjustified bias?

[rsb5267 0]

Contacted an administrator to attempt to get a skydiving club started at my University. I attached the response. I could practically taste the bias in her response.

[Deisel 38]

Sorry to see such closed mindedness at a supposed place of higher learning. But the ball's in your court. Are you going to accept this as the final word or continue to push it? Trust me, she doesn't have the absolute last say on what does or doesn't happen on the campus. Find someone more influentual that's friendly to the cause and continue to push. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Keep squeaking

The brave may not live forever, but the timid never live at all.

[BigMikeH77 0]

rsb5267

Contacted an administrator to attempt to get a skydiving club started at my University. I attached the response. I could practically taste the bias in her response.

Pfft. People fear what they do not understand. How badly do you want your club to be recognized?

As far as I'm aware, there are many skydiving clubs that are recognized by universities/colleges.

[travisprill 0]

Many universities have Skydiving Clubs.

You should reach out to some of them for information to present to the people above this wuffo.

[rohicks 2]

rsb5267

Contacted an administrator to attempt to get a skydiving club started at my University. I attached the response. I could practically taste the bias in her response.

Reads like ignorance to me.

My alma mater, Purdue (boiler up!), had and still does have a skydiving club. They offered a nice little discount at the local DZ for 10% i think it was at the time. I now live in FL and the University of Florida has a skydiving club called the falling gators. They jump out of palatka, and they all have their own gear. So free gear rental for the club members of falling gators, as well as some other perks within the group.

Keep fighting for it - if it you really want it.

[Di0 2]

Add MIT to the list.
http://web.mit.edu/skydive/www/

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[Remster 30]

If you plan of fighting the system, get prepared. Saying "the other guys do it" won't do much to convince them.

You have to show them why having a club would be beneficial for the student body, and therefore, the school in general.

Remster

[Avikus 0]

http://collegeskydiving.com/college-clubs


Google!

Avikus - Packer and Jumper - Hate landing with the plane!

[topdocker 0]

Keep pushing. The easiest answer anyone can give you is no. Start the club and see who is interested in it. Ask to speak to the risk management people directly and show them the waivers you have already signed and the insurance being a member of USPA provides. (They can require any member of the club join USPA first). Enlist the help of USPA, your Regional Director, maybe some local DZ's.


Check the stats of other clubs that are supported as to injuries sustained by those participants. Lacrosse, water polo, intramural football, etc. You be surprised at the injury rates in some of these (cheerleading especially!).

Good luck!

top

Jump more, post less!

[rohicks 2]

Avikus

http://collegeskydiving.com/college-clubs


Google!

Nice. To bad the site hasn't been updated since 2010.

They actually have some tips for getting a club started at a school.
http://collegeskydiving.com/club-help-pages

USPA also has info on starting a club.
http://www.uspa.org/GroupMembers/StartingaCollegeClub/tabid/304/Default.aspx

[Amazon 7]

rsb5267

Contacted an administrator to attempt to get a skydiving club started at my University. I attached the response. I could practically taste the bias in her response.

You might just ask if there is an Athletic Department, and how does the "Risk Management" work for them. What injury rates do they have and how many millions do they have in their budget?

[Southern_Man 0]

First thing I would do it ask to see specifically the policy that prohibits the skydiving club. That just reads like bluster and a brush off attempt to me.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[platypii 20]

There was a USC Skydiving group for a while. It started out unofficial, with friends organizing random trips to Elsinore. (how I got my license!)

Attempts were made to make the club more official (so we could try to get university funds / official recognition), but the school also balked at the risks of skydiving. So we officially became USC Indoor Skydiving. After that we only "officially" did tunnel trips.

Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission

BASEline - Wingsuit Flight Computer

[Cmp0806 0]

Yes, many colleges have clubs and I probably wouldn't be a skydiver if it wasn't for mine.

Like others have said, the "but they do it so it must be ok" argument probably won't fly. I would make it a minor bullet point in your overall case.

Definitely present facts, statistics, UPSA info, etc. I would also ask for a list of every club that is supported by your college. If they have things like Rock Climbing, White Water Rafting, Car Racing, Motorcyles, etc., I would imagine that would help your case.

Good luck and don't give up!

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

I have to wonder if the school has any of the following:

Rock climbing club?
SCUBA diving club?
Snow skiing/snow boarding club?
Football team?
Cheerleading team (with gymnastic work)?

What is sauce for the goose... is sauce for the gander. Each of the above can lead to serious injury or death.

USPA is your ally... don't be afraid to contact them for help with this issue.

Consider that you MAY have to agree to some stipulations regarding all club jumping such as mandatory ADD, RSL, and helmet. That may mollify the bean counters.

This struggle to get the club started will be GREAT practice for the post-college world.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Hmm...

It appears that Ms. Leopard works for Penn State (thank you Google).

Penn State has these relevant clubs:

NITTANY DIVERS SCUBA
EQUESTRIAN
ICE HOCKEY
NITTANY GROTTO CAVING
ALPINE SKI RACING
RECREATIONAL SKIING
SNOWBOARDING
TRIATHLON

Any of the above can get you badly hurt or killed. What makes skydiving so special?

In my previous post, I mentioned several stipulations that you might have to accept to reassure the college (AAD, RSL, etc). Equally important, but quite unlikely that the college would understand, or demand, would be a sitpulation to adhere to the USPA wing loading recommendations:

SIM § 5-3.B.5:
5. The following are suggested maximum wing loadings based on experience level:
a. A and B license 1.0 pounds per square foot (psf) maximum
b. C license 1.2 psf maximum
c. D license 1.4 psf maximum until demonstrated proficiency under canopy.
d. Jumpers should receive formal canopy training and consult with an S&TA before exceeding these recommendations.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[Andy9o8 2]

platypii

There was a USC Skydiving group for a while. It started out unofficial, with friends organizing random trips to Elsinore. (how I got my license!)

Attempts were made to make the club more official (so we could try to get university funds / official recognition), but the school also balked at the risks of skydiving. So we officially became USC Indoor Skydiving. After that we only "officially" did tunnel trips.

Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission

^ This.
You're not minors in high school anymore, so stop thinking inside the box that controlled you for your first 18 years. Other than getting a smattering of funding, what do you need "recognition" for? "Recognition" is just a fancy word for "permission". Fuck that - just do it.

[Bertt 0]

She ended a sentence with a preposition. And she calls herself a university administrator ... 'nuff said.

You don't have to outrun the bear.

[Squeak 17]

Deisel

Sorry to see such closed mindedness at a supposed place of higher learning. But the ball's in your court. Are you going to accept this as the final word or continue to push it? Trust me, she doesn't have the absolute last say on what does or doesn't happen on the campus. Find someone more influentual that's friendly to the cause and continue to push. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Keep squeaking

Im sorry to see such a poorly worded response from a tertiary institution

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[PiLFy 3]

Sue the School for religious discrimination. That'll loosen up those Assholes ...

[davelepka 4]

Ohio State University not only has a club, they offer skydiving as a course in the Phys Ed dept and students earn credits for taking it (they don't have to jump).

I would second what others have said, keep at it. The precedent has been set at schools all across the country for decades that a skydiving club is not such an insurmountable liability-monster that that university cannot support it.


http://osuskydivingclass.com/

[JeffCa 0]

rsb5267

Contacted an administrator to attempt to get a skydiving club started at my University. I attached the response. I could practically taste the bias in her response.

I'm astounded that any college students can afford skydiving, especially enough of them to form a club. Wow. Good for you if you can make it work!

"So many fatalities and injuries are caused by decisions jumpers make before even getting into the aircraft. Skydiving can be safe AND fun at the same time...Honest." - Bill Booth

[rohicks 2]

JeffCa

***Contacted an administrator to attempt to get a skydiving club started at my University. I attached the response. I could practically taste the bias in her response.

I'm astounded that any college students can afford skydiving, especially enough of them to form a club. Wow. Good for you if you can make it work!
College loans...

[melch 1]

Thanks to trends in popular culture of getting rich quick by sueing someone, large institutions have become all about risk avoidance (instead of mitigation) and concerned with liability lawsuits.

I think your best shot is to contact some of the other universities listed in previous posts and talk with the club managers and their faculty sponsers. Discuss their paths to recognition, talk directly with your university risk office or whatever the appropriate committee is. As someone mentioned earlier, walking in with a "the other schools do it"" presentation will be met with resistance while a well thought out presentation with facts, information and the anticipated answers of questions that may be asked will go a long way.

Best of luck.

[BIGUN 1,317]

1. Not sure of your presentation technique.

2. She is a Program Director... pretty low on the totem pole at the University level.

3. There's always an Advisory Committee.. ask to make a presentation to the committee (in a nice way). With a number of students who would engage in the activity... a strength in numbers thing

4. Ascertain if this is something you really wish to pursue because things move very slowly at a college/university. You're probably looking at a two-year process... is your endurance and commitment sustainable to start something that may not come to fruition until future students are able to embrace a legacy that you; yourself might not get to embrace.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.