Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, NYU has restricted budgets and overnight trips for student club sports. For the Ski & Snowboard Club, this modification has jeopardized previously standard weekend trips to the Adirondack Mountains and the Canadian Rockies. However, after two years of negotiations, the club went from potentially hitting the hay to hitting the slopes.

CAS senior and president of the Ski & Snowboard Club Cameron Fallah said that last year, a trip to Canada was denied funding and shut down by NYU. Since the trip took place during spring break, it failed to comply with the university’s new regulations. 

“There were some issues with having the trips the same way we had them before COVID, so a big point when I got elected was that I really wanted to get those trips back,” said Fallah, who was elected president his sophomore year.

Despite detailed plans and logistical preparations — including gathering insurance information and outlining costs — the Student Activities Board shut the club’s trip proposal down. The setback could have been the demise of skiing and snowboarding at NYU, but the club remained determined to find a solution. 

“Outside of [issues with] trips, I think we’ve had some great successes,” Fallah said. “We’re bigger than ever. We’ve recently hit the peak for the maximum number of active members in our club. We’re very proud.”

Historically, the club financed a nearly $6,000 bus that chartered members to and from resorts, with students covering the cost of discounted ski passes and housing. With discounts reducing the price of the trip from $1,000 per student to below $200, the club provided an affordable winter excursion for members. 

“Clubs are not allowed to charge a fee from members, for travel or any other expense.” NYU spokesperson Carol Ourivio said. “NYU expects all clubs to hold programming that is within their budgets, including the NYU Ski & Snowboard Club.”

As a result, the club can’t financially support organizing large trips like in the past, where they may have taken 50 to 60 people on weekend trips. Since they are unable to charge a fee, the club can only take around 10 people. In the face of uncertainty, one idea was able to shred concerns so members could shred the slopes: day trips.

“A day trip would not have housing costs,” Fallah said. “It would still have transportation and a one-day ski pass involved, but not having housing involved cuts the cost significantly,” Fallah said.

While the day trip strategy still has its challenges, such as approved bus services, Fallah says it’s the most sustainable way the club can maintain consistent events available to a reasonable number of its members. After two years and only one trip to show for it, Fallah and the club are looking to host its next large trip as soon as next semester.

“We’re very hopeful that it’ll work, and we think it’s a very good compromise — it’s something we’re putting a lot of effort into,” Fallah said. “Outside of that, we’re putting some effort into continuing to grow our community, have our events, engage with a few skiers and snowboarders, and make sure they’re safe on the mountains.”