Recently, the SU Outing Club has been attacked in The D.O. and on campus as receiving too much money from the Student Association. The money that SA gives SUOC is spent on gear, all of which the university community can access. Through the club, students and staff can learn any of our 12 plus activities at the minimal cost of $15 a year. Compare that to $1200 for lessons with a private guide and you can see the obvious benefit to the student.
In addition, members do not have to purchase any gear in order to participate in our activities. Most importantly, all of the gear we purchase, each piece of which has a finite lifespan, is necessary to ensure the safety of our members, beginner and advanced, when participating in SUOC trips.
Aside from the monetary benefit for students, the SUOC provides something more important for its members; something that is rarely found on guided trips or in classes. Because we routinely put our lives in each other's hands, members form a tightly-knit circle of friends that last long after graduation. SUOC provides an outlet for students who may or may not fit in other organizations on campus.
At present, many colleges no longer have outing clubs. They have fallen by the wayside as outdoor education programs and budgeting constraints took the power out of these organizations. Here at Syracuse, however, SUOC routinely supports over 100 members a year in their outdoor pursuits, both beginners and experts. Without SUOC, many of these students would not have this opportunity to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the world around them.
Megan Jonas
Senior television, radio and film and political science
Budget Chair Syracuse University Outing Club
is a member of the 
