General Participation and Safety Guidelines

Health/Safety/Medical Insurance

Health professionals recommend that all participants complete a physical exam or have a doctor’s approval prior to beginning any exercise program and strongly urge all participants over the age of 45 to have a graded exercise test prior to beginning any exercise program.

Participation in club sport activities involves inherent risk.  Possible injuries include, but are not limited to, contusions, muscle strains and sprains, broken bones, lacerations, cardiac malfunction, head, neck, and back injury, paralysis, drowning (in water activities), and death.

Participation in any Club Sports Program activity is contingent on proof of valid insurance coverage.  Participants are fully responsible for any and all medical expenses that may be incurred as a result of participation in club sport activities. Pennsylvania State University assumes no medical or financial responsibility for voluntary participation in club sport activities.

Anyone participating in a club sport organization practice, event, demonstration, seminar, event, competition, etc. must sign an Assumption of Risk/Release of Claims/Participation Agreement prior to participating. Failure to ensure that all participants have fulfilled this requirement may subject the club to disciplinary measures.

Hazing

Club sport organizations and club sport organization participants may not engage in hazing activities. Hazing is defined as any action or situation that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student or that willfully destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in any recognized student organization.

Alcohol/Drugs

Consumption of alcohol is prohibited during all Club Sport Program activities, including the activities of individual club sport organizations, regardless of the age of the participants.  Non-prescribed drugs, performance enhancing drugs, or any other substances that might be dangerous or detrimental to the participant’s health, or performance as a member of this organization are also prohibited. 

General Club Guidelines

All Club Sport Program participants have an obligation to refrain from actions and behavior that may jeopardize themselves or other Club Sports Program participants. The Club Sports Program reserves the right to remove participants from the program for actions/behavior that are deemed dangerous to themselves and/or other Club Sports Program participants.

The conduct of clubs and individual club participants shall be in compliance with all Pennsylvania State University rules and regulations, including the Judicial Affairs Code of Conduct and Off Campus Misconduct Policy, the Policies and Rules for Student Organizations, the Manual of Policies and Procedures for Club Sport Organization, and the rules and regulations described in the Student-Athlete Handbook. Violations may subject the club sport organization to sanctions including, but not limited to, mandatory community service, fines, loss of use of facility space, mandatory attendance at educational workshops, probation, loss of privileges/suspension, loss of recognition, etc. Violations may also subject individual participants to sanctions including, but not limited to, loss of Club Sports Program participation privileges and or referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs.

Each club sport organization is responsible for the actions of its participants, guests, spectators, and fans at all club activities. Failure to prevent and/or control irresponsible acts and/or failure to discipline individuals who engage in irresponsible acts could result in the disciplinary measures described above.

Disciplinary Process

When the Club Sports Program Coordinator becomes aware of an allegation violation of the Policies and Rules for Student Organizations, the Manual of Policies and Procedures for Club Sport Organization, or the rules and regulations described in the Student-Athlete Handbook, the process outlined in the following document will be implemented.

 **Please see Printable Version for chart.

In cases where the CSAC is not fully operational, the process outlined below shall occur:

**Please see Printable Version for chart.