Frequently asked questions

OEL runs trips nearly every weekend of the semester that are open for all students, and totally free! (Including food, gear, and transportation). We refer to these programs as “open enrollment” because anyone can sign up to participate. Requested programs are trips that specific classes, clubs, or groups would like to do, and are only open to the specific individuals associated with that group. We call these “closed enrollment” trips because only specific people can participate. OEL Requested Programs can be a great way for a group to get to know each other outside of the classroom, for club members to bond, or for teammates to try new activities! Each semester, OEL prioritizes our free, open enrollment trips that any Bucknell student can sign up for! We always accept requests for Requested Programs, but are able to accomodate a limited amount each semester.

Program requests are reserved for members of the Bucknell community. This may include student organizations, residential housing affinities, faculty led groups, etc. At this time we are unable to accommodate requests from public individuals/groups/organizations.

When we recieve a request, there are a few things that we must determine: gear availability, vehicle availability, trip leader availability and appropriate driver certifications, on-call availability, as well as time of year and weather. OEL Staff review requests for fall semester programs in July, spring semester programs in November, and summer programs in March. If we are unable to meet your request due to one of the factors listed, we’ll let you know. If we have availability to meet your request, we’ll begin to figure out the details such as date/time, transportation, participant waivers and health forms, and more! Three weeks prior to your program, we will need a list of participants and will send out a waiver for everyone to complete. This collects important health information, such as dietary restrictions. We need final confirmation of all participants two weeks prior to the program. We’ll connect you with your student trip leaders who will be running your program, and provide a detailed itinerary for the day.

You are more than welcome to use your own gear on our trips! Please note a few things: Everyone on the biking trips are required to wear a helmet while on a bike. We are unable to provide transportation for personal boats, for paddling trips. Everyone on a paddling trip is required to wear a PFD while on the water.

Unfortunately, most trips are not able to be “sized up” to accommodate a larger group, but it depends on the activity and the group size! Group size has been determined by our gear availability, seats in our vehicles, and out of consideration for the environment. It’s worth it to ask, and we’ll let you know! Larger groups may result in more trip leaders, food, gear and vehicles, which may increase the cost of the trip. Our Large Group Program was created to work for many people, and offer a variety of activities!

Requested programs are not supported by the OEL budget, so they run at cost recovery in addition to an income source to subsidize open enrollment student experiences. The cost is dependent on staffing, gear, transportation, and food. Programs generally cost between $200- $500. Large group programs can cost between $500 - $1,000. The total cost and cost breakdown will be shared with you when staff follow up on your request.

We understand that life, and the weather, are unpredictable! If you need to cancel your program, please provide 3 weeks notice for a full refund. Cancellations with less than 3 weeks notice will be refunded for half of the total cost. Cancellations within 48 hours of the program will not be refunded. Cancellations due to weather will be made in collaboration with the group's leader and OEL staff at least 24 hours in advance. Cancellations due to weather will be fully refunded, and will receive priority in rescheduling, with no guarantee that rescheduling is possible.

There are many ways to be involved with OEL! We run trips most every week, at no cost for Buckenll students! See the trip options and sign up here. (https://www.bucknelloel.info/trips) Our indoor bouldering wall i(https://www.bucknelloel.info/climbingwall)s open 5 days a week - come climb with us! The Rental and Outfitting Center (https://www.bucknelloel.info/rentals)is open 5 days a week for students, faculty, and staff to rent gear for their outdoor adventures! Bison Bikes (https://www.bucknelloel.info/bisonbikes)provides students with a free bike rental for the semester. Please feel free to reach out to oelinfo@bucknell.edu (oelinfo@bucknell.edu)with any questions!