A US college outdoors club is being disbanded because its activities, which include hiking, running and backpacking, are deemed too risky.
Pennsylvania State University officials said the group will be reconstituted to focus more on safety.
The 98-year-old Outing Club is one of three that will be disbanded from next semester: the caving and scuba clubs have also been deemed unsafe.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 27 2018, @02:04PM
Insurance liability.
Just because you don't want to and didn't expect something, doesn't mean you are let off the hook by failing to provide a warning to not do dangerous things.
Look at how bad the warning labels are in the USA. Buy a bottle of wine from France or Spain, and there is no such warning.
They have to say no, and do some hand waving with real policy changes, to escape liability.
If the students then decide to do it anyway, that is up to them.
I doubt any of it is nanny related stuff, although some of it may be part of the university trying to cultivate creative and outgoing students that adapt to changes and handle risk well.
Lawyers and Liability, as well as insurance coverage, do not adapt or handle risk well.