Adventure Outings faces budgetary knife

Wyatt Alpert, Reporter|April 6, 2023

Big+group+of+people+in+colorful+clothing+man+wearing+hats+outside+in+grassy+valley

On the “save.adventure.outings” instagram page, a post with this photo is captioned “A couple faces of the thousands of lives AO has touched.” Photo courtesy of Adventure Outings.

Adventure Outings, an Associated Students-funded group, is facing elimination. There is a growing number of students who find this to be very disagreeable with Chico State’s mission of building community through collaboration. 

The Adventure Outings website lists what the program offers:

  • AO operates an extensive trips program (including custom trips for groups) that is open to anyone ages 18+
  • AO has an equipment rental center that is open to anyone
  • We manage the WREC Climbing Gym
  • We oversee the AS Bike Hub, Chico State’s campus bicycle repair program
  • We operate a backcountry yurt that is available for rent
  • AO offers a Wildcat Wilderness Orientation program for incoming Chico students
  • We host special events such as the Banff Mountain Film Festival and NOLS wilderness medicine courses
  • We offer CSU, Chico students employment as trip leaders and as office, climbing wall, bike repair, and equipment rental center attendants

The program is facing elimination due to alleged budgetary constraints said Chris Sortor, Adventure Outings student manager. There is an Associated Students Facilities Committee meeting April 7, at noon in Bell Memorial Union 205 with limited space. A spillover room in BMU room 203 will be streaming the meeting over Zoom and is open to the campus community. 

The meeting can be viewed via Zoom with the following credentials:

  • ID: 813 1810 0955
  • Password: 965584
Flyer with beige background and black and blue and red text
A flyer for Adventure Outings promoting the preservation of the program. Courtesy of Adventure Outings.

The ASFC is “responsible for establishing procedures and policies for the use of the Bell Memorial Union and all programs and services funded by the student union fee, including the Wildcat Recreation Center,” according to the ASFC webpage. Adventure Outings falls under this category.

Adventure Outings members and staff are encouraging anyone who is passionate about the outdoors to come and show support. Wearing green shirts or articles of clothing is also encouraged by Adventure Outings to show solidarity with the outdoors program.

Photo courtesy of Adventure Outings.

This movement has extended to the online sphere as well and can be found at the Facebook page Save Adventure Outings at Chico State. 

Follow up information will be provided as it’s made available.