NOLS is committed to pursuing gender-based diversity goals in our educational offerings.
We welcome students of all genders and ask for gender information in the application process
to open conversations that will ultimately contribute to a positive learning environment for
all NOLS students.
Examples of when knowing a student's gender is important for purposes of safety or engagement
include:
-
We use gender-based sleeping arrangements on many courses, and our goal is to make
people of all genders as comfortable as possible.
-
Privacy, a concern for all genders, may pose a greater concern for transgender and other
gender-expansive students, so we seek to inform about situations where strict privacy is
not possible, for example:
-
Expedition courses in grizzly bear country that require students to be in groups of
four for safety, even when attending to daily toileting needs.
-
Wilderness medicine patient assessments are conducted by fellow students learning
professional touch while practicing identifying injury; and
-
Safety equipment for some expedition skills can be more revealing than standard
outdoor clothing (harnesses used in climbing and mountaineering wetsuits used for some
water-based courses).
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to
info@nols.edu. You'll hear back from someone who can answer your questions and
will happily discuss any of your concerns.