At Alaska Pacific University, adventure with purpose is a key component of our active learning philosophy. Many of our classes take students out of the classroom and into the natural world where, through adventure, they get an educational experience like no other. That's because these courses allow students a unique opportunity to not only apply the knowledge they have gained in the classroom, but also to learn invaluable skills such as problem solving, teamwork and leadership.

But how does a university that encourages adventure in sometimes inherently challenging natural and political settings, weigh the risk and liability associated with these activities with the many positive rewards that can be derived from such an experience? The rewards can be measured simply by listening to students and faculty who have recently returned from Spring Block classes. Around campus, students are excitedly talking about successfully executing a mock rescue during the Multi Pitch Sport Climbing class in Potrero Chico, Mexico or spending three weeks studying Tropical Ecology in Borneo. The pride they take in their accomplishments and the self-confidence they have gained is clearly evident in their conversations.

Eric Stuart, a Junior in Outdoor Studies, writes of his adventure experiences:

"I feel the wilderness provides a unique opportunity to manage and face risks. While immersed in society, we are forced to trust that driver next to us or that repair person coming into our home, but in the wilderness it is just you and Mother Nature. Although mountaineers and outdoor enthusiast are sometimes viewed as extreme risk takers, often times those risks can be assessed and confronted using skills and instinct. Truly putting your life in your own hands can be a scary thought to some, but those who choose the wilderness to learn and grow, come away with strong confidence in their decision-making skills. A decision made out in the wilderness could depend on hundreds of different factors that have to be weighed in less than a minute or two and could mean life or death. After a person is faced with that challenge, the rewards are seen all throughout their lives."

The skills and knowledge a person gains out in the field allows one to come back into society self actualized and with the ability to question and reflect on the decisions made in everyday life."

While the benefits of outdoor adventure are many, there is always some level of inherent risk associated with the classes, projects and other activities that APU and its students conduct out in the natural environment and the world at large. So, how do we minimize the risks and keep students and faculty safe while encouraging these types of activities?

In the case of wilderness and outdoor classes, the safeguards are many. Dave McGivern, Director of Outdoor Studies, teaches classes such as Winter Wilderness Skills and also led the recent trip to Mexico. Dave outlined the steps that APU takes to measure and reduce risk during outdoor classes.

First, Alaska Pacific University has a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan in place. Whenever there is a group of students out in the Alaskan wilderness, the response plan outlines the necessary steps to quickly provide help or evacuate any student or faculty member who may be injured. Similar plans are in place when a group of students are out of the state or out of the country on block classes.

Secondly, we believe that the most important way to reduce risk is through education. APU instructors are experts in their field-whether its wilderness travel, mountaineering, or backcountry rescue - and they share this expertise with the students for whom they are responsible. Mr. McGivern believes the most valuable asset a student can have to reduce risk in the field are the skills needed to accomplish a task and even more importantly, the ability to understand them. For example, when Mr. McGivern takes an expedition of students into the Alaska wilderness: "the students are not only taught strong river crossing skills, they are also taught the complex ability to understand when to use them-crossing the river depends on the condition of the group, the weather conditions, as well as a variety of other factors."

Finally, even with the best of training and guidance, accidents can happen on occasion. Therefore, APU carries comprehensive liability insurance in order to ensure that associated costs are covered without threatening the financial viability of the university.

APU students who are not enrolled in Outdoor Studies or Environmental Sciences programs can also face risks. Faculty members and administrators struggle with balancing risk and reward when asked to approve Senior Projects that have significant social purpose, but would knowingly put the student in harms way.

APU students must complete a Senior Project in order to graduate, which should represent a significant contribution to some aspect of the world. The university encourages its students to dream big, be adventurous and accept new challenges. But, sometimes the risk of these adventures is far too high for the student and the university.

This was the case for recent APU graduate Nathan York, who for his Senior Project proposed to: plan, fund raise and build a girl's school in Afghanistan. As part of his proposal, Nate included traveling to Afghanistan to help in the hands-on construction of the school. But, because of the war and political instability in Afghanistan, APU believed the risk to be just too high to sanction a student going into that country--even for such a noble purpose. Therefore, in order to minimize the risk to the university and especially to Nate, the university agreed to approve only the planning and fund raising aspects of this undertaking as Nate's Senior Project, but not the actual travel to Afghanistan or the construction of the school. While making the decision to support only a portion of his project wasn't easy, the compromise allowed Nate to get credit for his significant and meaningful project while assuring that APU was not knowingly putting a student at risk while in the pursuit of a degree. (Note: Nate York, as a graduate, is continuing to work on the Afghanistan girl's school project. He is planning to travel to Afghanistan in the future. For more information go to www.afghanistanproject.org)

APU professors conduct classes on mountains and rainforests as well as classrooms and labs. The rewards of utilizing the world for our classroom are vast. But, the risks are always weighed with the purpose and adventure of each endeavor-our primary goal is to ensure the safety of the students as well as the continued viability of the university.