Callum, this is actually the policy that has technically been in affect for many years.  It is just that most parks don't enforce this, or push these details.  My experience is any of the heavily visited parks (e.g. Yosemite, G Canyon, Zion, etc.) started asking for all  this stuff years ago.  What we have always done when they get this picky is:

for 2, just include the class syllabus, course number info, catalog descriptions; whatever paperwork you can deluge them with.  Then you might include a simple paragraph lead in stating your plan for what, when and where you'll do in the park.

for 3, it actually turns out most institutions can give you this boilerplate with  little notice.  You just have to get ahold of the  right people.  at UTEP we just called over to the admin building and got someone fairly quickly who could provide us boilerplate for this.  If you have problems, contact me directly and I'll dig deeper to try to find  exactly what we've provided.

For a field class we've never gotten any pushback on this paperwork done  this way.  When we used to lead summer programs with  a bunch of high school kids--a program for underrepresented groups--it was not an official class, and that often required some serious back and forth.  Otherwise I think you should have any trouble if you just flood them with this paperwork.

Terry Pavlis
Professor, Geological Sciences

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From: Tectonics & structural geology discussion list <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Hetherington, Callum <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2019 8:14 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Increased scrutiny of National Park & Monument Fee Waiver Applications for Field Trips

 

Good morning

 

Apologies for those not in the U.S., although the topic may have significance for those who organize field-trips to the U.S. and seek to visit National Parks and Monuments. For those who run fieldtrips and field-camps, depending on how broadly this policy is being enforced, it might be something that is investigated sooner rather than later with summer field season approaching.

 

Each year I run a fieldtrip that visits one of the National Monuments in New Mexico. In previous years access has been approved based on submitting a “Visit Request Form” and we have avoided fees by simultaneously submitting a “Fee Waiver Request”. This year I have informed that the Monument is applying the full force of the fee waiver policy, guidelines as stated in the National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, Recreation Fee Management RM 22A, 10.1.13, February 2014. The document goes on to state that bona fide educational or scientific institutions may qualify if the following conditions are met, which includes the following (although I would like to draw your attention to point 3 in particular):

1)      Academic Fee Waiver Request Form

-Normally downloadable from a Monument or Park website.

2) Document of Relevance and Educational purpose-There must be a direct relationship between the purpose of the visit and use of the park. This document must also confirm that the visit supports a specific curriculum for which academic credit is offered. The visit must be to study some aspect/resource specific to the National Monument/Park. A general statement to the effect that the visit is for "educational purposes" is insufficient. Documentation must demonstrate and contain an explanation of what the educational purpose entails; how and why the visit to Bandelier is required to meet course guidelines. (Course number, description and outline, lesson plans, syllabus, credit received or a copy of the curriculum with this information will meet this requirement.)

3) Document of Eligibility – Current official documentation of recognition of affiliation as an educational institution by a Federal, State or local government entity, or other evidence attesting to educational status. (e.g. Accreditation letter or an Educational tax exempt letter). It is insufficient to merely state or imply this on official letterhead. Your fee waiver cannot be processed without one of these documents submitted with your application.  

This last point, it turns out, can be really difficult to fulfill. Letters from the Administrative Units in the University tasked as liaisons with State, Federal and Accreditation Agencies attesting to the institutions eligibility have been rejected – only letters directly from agencies will be accepted. I am pursuing the request via our Accreditation Agency, but just learned that there are only two people in our University who are permitted to contact our accreditation agency directly (one is the President, the other is the nominated liaison), and one must consider that these agencies may have better things to do than provide single letter documents to help our a trip for one course at one institution….

 

One hopes that the policy is not being so broadly applied, but those who are impacted may want to check.

 

Thanks

 

Callum

 

Callum J. Hetherington, PhD

Department of Geosciences

Texas Tech University

Box 41053

Lubbock

TX 79409-1053

USA

 

Phone: 806 834 3110

 

 

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