Wisconsin Hoofers Outing Club Equipment Policy

Revised July 1994


  1. This Policy has been established in a manner outlined in Section 2.11 of the Outing Club Bylaws on 5 July 94, and presented to the Executive Board on 2 August 94.  This Policy may be amended by the Equipment Chair, and will become binding upon presentation to, and approval by, the Executive Board.
  2. Club equipment devoted to a specific Activity Group shall be controlled by that Activity Group Chair.  Club Equipment not associated with any particular Activity Group shall be known as common club equipment, and shall be controlled by the Equipment Chairperson.  Any dispute over control of Club equipment shall be adjudicated by the Equipment Chairperson.  Decisions of the Equipment Chairperson may be appealed to the Executive Board.
  3. Club equipment shall only be used for official Club trips and activities.  With the approval of the Club President, Club equipment may be used by other Hoofer clubs for one of their official activities.  Under circumstances outlined in the Water Safety Manual, boating on Lake Mendota may be exempt from this restriction.
  4. Responsibility for all equipment taken on any Club trip shall rest with the Trip Leader.  Every effort should be made to return the equipment in its pre-use condition or better, including its cleanliness. 
  5. Damage or loss of Club equipment shall be reported to the Equipment Chair and any relevant Activity Chair by the person knowledgeable about the damage or loss.  If the cost of the damage or loss is greater than the deductible for the Hoofer Insurance Policy, it is the responsibility of the Equipment Chair to file a written report on the damage or loss and final repair or payment with the Club President and the Hoofer advisor.
  6. Negligent damage or loss of equipment shall be paid for by the person, or trip participants, in proportion to their negligence.  All repairable damaged equipment shall be repaired (or the repair paid for) by the person, or trip, in proportion to their hand in the damage.  Unless special dispensation is given by the Equipment Chair, the repair must be completed within ten days of the damage.  Negligent non-repairable damaged equipment shall be paid for by the person, or trip participants in proportion to their negligence.  The total paid must equal the total value of the item damaged.
  7. Accidental loss or damage of  equipment shall be paid for by the Club.
  8. Loss or damage of one of a pair, the value to be paid shall be one half of the value of the pair, based upon the assumption that the Club can eventually match up odd pairs.
  9. Determination of negligence, value of lost or damaged equipment, and how repairs are to be made shall be made by the Equipment Chair in consultation with any relevant Activity Chair, and the Hoofer Advisor.  Decisions of the Equipment Chairperson may be appealed to the Executive Board.
  10. Reservation of common Club equipment may be done by Trip Leaders or their designees by notifying the Equipment Chair of the equipment to be reserved and of the dates of use.  Reservation will be on the first come, first serve basis.  After notifying the Equipment Chair, the requester shall post the reservation notice in the area that the equipment is generally kept.
  11. Check out and check in procedures need to be followed for all equipment going on a trip.  The check in/out list shall be kept in the area where the equipment is kept, and caution should be taken to not take already reserved equipment.
  12. Updated inventory lists from every Activity Group Chair shall be turned into the Equipment Chair in the middle of the Pall semester, prior to the Budgetary procedures.  The Equipment Chair may also request an inventory list from each Activity Group Chair as deemed necessary by the Union representatives, Risk Management Department personnel, or other qualified University representatives.  The Equipment Chair shall then update the list kept by the Hoofer Advisor.