GREENFIELD — The Outdoor Leadership Program at Greenfield Community College has been suspended for the upcoming academic year because of safety concerns following an external review of the program.
After students and part-time teachers expressed concerns regarding the safety of the one-year certificate program, which prepares for careers such as those in the national parks, GCC President Bob Pura said the college decided to conduct a review.
The college brought in a teacher from the University of New Hampshire, who runs a similar program there, to review the program. After receiving preliminary findings in late May, Pura said he decided to shut down the program for a year.
“It just felt prudent to press pause, suspend enrollment, and have the faculty and staff involved to strengthen the program,” Pura said.
A letter went out to the dozen or so people registered for the program. The college said it will refund the $250 deposit some had already paid. The program caps out around 18 students and typically graduates 15 a year, Pura said.
Some of the safety concerns have to do with policy and teaching protocol, Pura added. He said more details would be available when he receives the full report in the next few days.
The outdoors program has been running for 49 years, Pura said.
The plan is to address the issues during the year with an eye toward bringing the program back for the 2018 to 19 academic year.
“We just want to take the year to ensure that it continues to be the finest program of its kind,” Pura said.
While there have been no accidents involving the college’s regular outdoor program, the school was involved in sponsoring a summer camp program in 1998 where a 12-year-old was critically injured. That program ended afterward.
You can reach Joshua Solomon at:
jsolomon@recorder.com
413-772-0261, ext. 264