COÖP
is designed to ease the anxieties of transitioning into the college
environment through a four-day outdoor camping experience. The COÖP
experience is divided into three trips, biking, hiking, and river, each
of which pairs a small group of first-years with several upperclassmen
trip leaders. The leaders act as mentors for the first-years, ensure
safety on the trip, and create a comfortable environment in which
first-years can ask questions, express concerns, and get to know one
another.
Below, you will find handy information for
parents. If you should have further questions or concerns, please
contact one of the four student coordinators or our advisor Pete
Cerneka. We can be reached via email at coop@columbia.edu.
How can I get in touch with my son or daughter while s/he is on the COÖP trip?
COÖP
functions best when students are immersed in nature and only interact
with the other students for the duration of the trip. We recommend that
parents only try to reach students in emergency situations.
Once a student has left the campus for the trail, we can only pass on emergerncy messages.
Where can I leave such a message?
You can call the main COÖP office line at (212) 854-1398. Please be
aware that there is a lag time between when you leave your message and
when a COÖP staff member receives it at Basecamp. Additionally, as
noted above, there is an additional delay between our receipt of your
messages and relaying it to your son or daughter on the trail.
Can my son/daughter take a cell phone or books with them on the trip?
No. Our program's philosophy involves a complete immersion in nature
and a small group of students. These factors foster an environment that
promotes bonding. Cell phones and books split up the group.
Furthermore, most of our trail locations are outside the majority of
network providers' signal range.
Can my student take medication with him/her on the trip?
Yes. Your student should bring any necessary prescribed and over the
counter medication with them. Their trip leaders will have the medical
information that your family provided during the registration process.
If medications have changed after the submission of the program
registration, students should submit that information to a COÖP
coordinator. We will advise your student's trip leader of the change.
If my child is enrolling in the Columbia health insurance plan, how does s/he get covered during the trip?
Columbia's insurance does not begin until September 1,
but you can purchase a month of extra coverage. The application for this will go up on Aetna's website in early July.
How can I be sure that my child is safe?
COÖP takes safety precautions very seriously. All HOP leaders are
Wilderness First Aid certified. BOP leaders have taken a first aid
course. All leaders are CPR certified. We train new leaders every
spring to make sure that they know how to keep students both safe and
comfortable on the trail.
