Outdoor & Experiential Education Program Partnerships

• WCU Center for Learning & Innovation costs are $180 per credit.
• WCU charges our outdoor partners a 2% administration fee on their program costs (maximum amount $400).
• WCU charges 3% for all credit card payments.
• WCU is not allowed to accept credit card payments over the phone.

Link to Register: https://western.edu/admissions/apply/ - Drop down box: I am a… Center for Learning & Innovation then - CLI Programs: CLI Application

Credit Registration Process:

Applications should be completed and submitted at least 30 days prior to your course start date.

Once your application is completed and submitted, WCU works with your outdoor program partner to provide the cost for your outdoor program. WCU can’t fully admit you until we have confirmation of your program cost from your outdoor program.

While our outdoor programs operate on rolling calendars, we must adhere to WCU academic calendar. We register for the fall semester in mid- May; we start registering for winter/spring semester courses in mid- November and we can start registering for summer courses in mid-April. We register students in order of their course start date.

When you receive your registration email confirmation if applicable, we will also provide the homework (if applicable) assignments for your course(s), and invoice (or access to your financials in student Workday account).

Please initiate your payment once you have the total amount of your program costs and credit costs. Payment methods include out-of-pocket, (personal check or credit card), 529 funds, AmeriCorps, or a combination of methods. (See questions below for detailed payment instructions depending on your payment source.)

Once WCU is paid in full, we payout our outdoor partners for the program costs.

You will begin getting auto-generated emails from WCU regarding getting credentials to eventually be able to log in and access your WCU student information. Once your registration is complete you will receive a confirmation email and email with WCU Work Day credentials.

Please ensure you have your space secured with your outdoor partner as courses often have limits on class size. WCU does not have a course size limit.

• We register for the fall semester in mid- May; we start registering for winter/spring semester courses in mid- November and we can start registering for summer courses in mid-April.
• We try and register students in order of their course start date.

The link below provides payment options:

https://western.edu/campus-life/financial-services/cashiers-office/

Your WCU invoice will include WCU academic credit cost and the program course fee (if you indicated you wanted to be billed for both) for a total balance eligible to utilize your529 plan funds.

• 529 Payments: 529 Plans may disperse funds directly to the student to pay with a personal card other plans only disperse funds to a university and will pay WCU directly by check upon request.
  • Requesting the funds to be sent directly to WCU is the student/plan holders’ responsibility and should include student ID and/or name.
• Please reach out to your 529 provider ff you need assistance with disbursing funds from 529 Plan.
• If you plan to pay with 529 Plan funds, it is imperative that you check with your 529 Plan and your tax accountant regarding any tax implications or potential deductions.
• If your WCU invoice/account does not contain your program course fee and you want to use AmeriCorps award/529 plan funds for both WCU tuition and the course fee, contact the Center for Learning and Innovation to revise. This is important for 1098T (tax form).
• Typically, funds need to be paid directly to an accredited university (WCU), and you will only be able to deduct funds paid to the university.
• The 1098-T tax form is produced for the year the account was paid to Western and not upon receipt of invoice or when class occurred. As required by the IRS the 1098-T tax forms are sent in January of the year following your payment.
• Outdoor education partners do not qualify as institutes of higher learning and cannot provide 1098-T forms if you pay your outdoor partner directly.
• Mailing address for 529 Plan Checks: Western Colorado University, Taylor 303, 1 Western Way, Gunnison, CO Please include student name and WCU ID number (the number is on the attached invoice.)

• Your WCU invoice will include WCU academic credit cost and the program course fee (if you indicated you wanted to be billed for both) for a total balance eligible for AmeriCorps award funds.
  • If your WCU invoice does not contain your course fee and you want to use AmeriCorps awards for both WCU tuition and the course fee, contact the Center for Learning & Innovation for a revised invoice.
• Request AmeriCorps award be dispersed to WCU for the balance on the WCU invoice.
  • AmeriCorps: Log into your AmeriCorps portal, https://my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do, and submit a payment request to Western Colorado University Financial Aid Office upon receipt and for the balance of WCU invoice.
    • AmeriCorps award requests take a minimum of two weeks to be verified by WCU from when the student initiates the request.
  • AmeriCorps’ payments may take-up to 90 days to payout. Please monitor your AmeriCorps portal to make sure you have requested the full amount.
    • Double check the amount of AmeriCorps funds you have available, if your AmeriCorps funds does not pay your entire balance you will need to initiate payment through another method for the remaining balance ASAP.
    • Western can only payout outdoor partner(s) when your Western account balance is paid to zero.

AmeriCorps students can be reimbursed for qualified expenses for your course. Request an AmeriCorps reimbursement form from outdoorpartner@western.edu. Reimbursement funds will not be paid until student has received a passing grade of “C” or above or “S”.  Reimbursement form and all receipts must be submitted within 30 days. WCU is required to review and process your reimbursement request.

Receipts for AmeriCorps Reimbursement Policies:

• Students must depart from their home address as stated on their original registration form.
• Students are expected to travel to and from their courses in reasonable period surrounding their courses (1-2 days at either end of the course.)
• Car rental receipt must clearly show dates in a reasonable period surrounding the course.
• Gasoline receipts show dates and locations along a route directly to the course location and back from the student’s home address on file with our office. Please submit a screen shot of your route along with your gas receipts.
• Air ticket receipts must clearly show dates in a reasonable period surrounding your course dates.
• Baggage fees will be approved with paid receipt.
• Daily transport services to and from course venue (such as light rail or bus) during course dates are reimbursable with valid receipts showing dates and locations.
• Lodging and meals while travelling to and from a course from home address on original course registration forms are reimbursable with valid receipts showing dates and locations along travel route and within 1-2 days of the course beginning and course end.
• Total meal reimbursement per day may not exceed the domestic (CONUS) per diem rates as regulated by Western in compliance with the State of Colorado Travel Fiscal Rule.
• Be sure alcohol is not listed on your itemized receipts from hotels or eating establishments. (Request a separate receipt from your server for any alcoholic beverages.

Students must the Center for Learning & Innovation via email to outdoorpartners@western.edu and copy your outdoor partner a minimum of ten business days before the course start date. Registration cannot be changed once a student is on course or the course has ended. A $50 cancellation fee will be assessed to the student’s account.

You must notify the Cener for Learning & Innovation (outdoorpartners@western.edu).  A $50 transfer fee will be assessed to the student’s account.

Explanation of Assignments, Homework, Grades and Transcripts?

You are taking a college course, and we are held to Higher Education Rules.

• The homework assignment(s) will be attached to the registration confirmation email.
• Students will not be able to see the grade until two weeks after end of semester per Western’s Academic Calendar.

General Assignment Guidelines:

Within 15 business days of completing your course, you must complete and submit your assignment via email to Western Outdoor Programs outdoorprograms@western.edu. Your assignment must be completed and submitted in either a Microsoft Word format or a .pdf format. Keeping track of your assignment due date is your responsibility. Please mark your assignment due date on your calendar, as you will not receive reminder emails regarding your required assignment. The due date of your homework is your responsibility. You will be able to obtain your official transcript at the end of the current WCU semester (i.e., spring semester, end of May, summer semester, end of August, fall semester, end of December). To expedite getting a grade, you should track down your outdoor partner instructor completed evaluation and submit this with your homework. If you do not submit your instructor evaluation, our office will work to get it from your instructor, but it can take weeks to obtain and then submit with your completed assignment.

CONTENT INSTRUCTIONS: It is recommended that during your course you keep a detailed journal to track your thoughts and experiences in each of the objectives. The purpose of these assignments is for you to get the most from your expedition experiences. They should solidify in your mind the course events, help you analyze the pieces involved, and transfer lessons to your life.

ASSIGNMENT FORMAT: Written assignments must be typed, double-spaced, and include a cover page that states your name, using a running header and page number on each page of the text. Instructor expects correct grammar and spelling. Use 12-point Times New Roman font and APA style for citations. Send them as Microsoft Word attachments, or .pdf attachments only. Do not mail assignments through the USPS. We cannot accept Google docs, pass-coded files, zipped files, or Dropbox type services. Written assignments are evaluated on the following basis: 20% for proper format and clarity in your writing and 80% for content, including adequate and honest coverage assessing your fulfillment of the learning objectives.

When we have received both the homework and the outdoor partner instructor evaluation are received, we submit to our WCU instructor of record to complete grading. Your grade will be calculated based on 60% Instructor Evaluation and 40% written assignment content. Please note that even if an Instructor Evaluation is received, if your written assignment is not submitted, a Technical Failure (TF) will be recorded on your permanent transcript from Western Colorado University.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY: Please remember that to earn a grade and your requested credit(s), you must complete the self-evaluation/reflection/written assignment no later than 15 business days from the last day of your course. If your assignment is not completed and submitted in either a word format or a pdf to Western Outdoor Programs outdoorprograms@western.edu  within 15 business days from the last day of your course, you will receive a TF (Technical Failure) on your permanent transcript. There is no refund of credit cost.

You will be able to obtain your official transcript at the end of the current WCU semester (i.e., spring semester, end of May, summer semester, end of August, fall semester, end of December). To order transcript, please go to www.parchment.com.  You will need information that you came to WCU, your student ID number can assist with process.