Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Climbing I (Face-to-Face)

ORPT 1527-01

Course: ORPT 1527-01
Credits: 1
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Kinesiology & Outdoor Rec
CRN: 32165

Course Description

An active lifestyles class focused on learning basic climbing skills: knots, equipment care and use, belaying, communication, climbing movement, and rappelling. This course includes an outdoor trip to a local area that will likely occur on a weekend. Essential Eligibility Criteria can be found on the ORPT program website. (Fall, Spring, Summer [As Needed]) [Graded Letter]

Required Texts

Textbook
Required: None - supplemental readings and media will be provided via canvas modules and asssignments
Recommended:
Rock Climbing Mastering Basic Skills (2nd edition) by Topher Donahue and Craig Luebben, published by the Mountaineers.

Equipment and Clothing:
For each class please come prepared with appropriate clothing—comfortable, athletic fitting clothing tends to work well, though jeans and a t-shirt work in a pinch. You will need climbing shoes which can be checked out for free at the PE cage (trade your school I.D.). Harnesses, belay devices, ropes, and any other equipment needed to climb will be provided. If you have your own gear you may use it if it is suitable for use. On the outdoor trip you will need to rent climbing shoes from SUU Outdoors or provide your own.

Learning Outcomes

Students will…
  • Demonstrate an ability to provide a safe toprope belay for a climber utilizing assisted breaking and tube type belay devices
  • Demonstrate the ability to inspect and evaluate climbing ropes, harnesses, belay devices, and carabiners
  • Demonstrate the ability to utilize the standard belay and climbing commands
  • Demonstrate the ability to utilize climbing techniques for efficient movement over rock
  • Become familiar with the differences between indoor and outdoor climbing and have the opportunity to climb outdoors
  • Become familiar with the resources available to find climbing areas (i.e. internet, guide books, locals, clubs, etc…)
  • Become familiar with the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) for rating rock climbs in North America

Course Requirements

This is a list of the assignments/tasks you’ll be expected to complete in this course. 
  • Climbing Wall Waiver
  • Class/Trips Waiver and Health Information Form 
  • Knowledge Check Quizzes 
  • Outdoor Class Climbing Trip
  • Climb Outside of Class time on your own
  • Discussion assignments for readings on ethics, etiquette, and trip planning
  • Final Exam
  • Class Participation and Expedition Behavior

Grading Scale: A = >94%, A- = 90-93%, B+ = 87-89%, B = 84-86%, B- = 80-83%, C+ = 77-79%, C = 74-76%, C- = 70-73%, D = 60-69% F = <60%

Course Outline

Each number correlates with a single class session. This is a 7 week class held once per week. Based on student needs and experience, this may change slightly as the session unfolds.

  1. Expectations, Knots, Equipment, and Risks
  2. Knots, Belaying, Climbing Movement
  3. Terms, Vocabulary, and Belay Checks
  4. Belaying with an assisted breaking device, climbing grades and training.
  5. Basic self-rescue, ground anchors, top rope anchors
  6. Mock leading, anchor cleaning discussion
  7. Putting it all together.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Each assignment will be given a due date and time and should be turned in on time to be eligible for full credit. Assignments turned in up to 72 hours past the due date will be considered for partial credit. Assignments are directly related to class material, and missing them stifles your learning by taking away the ability to receive timely feedback on your work. Please respect my time set aside for grading by getting things in by the due date. Missed assignments without communication before the fact will not be considered for make-up work. 

Attendance Policy

This class relies heavily on in person laboratory work. As such, attendance is required. 1 free absence will be allowed. This is intended to cover things like minor illnesses, travel, or other personal obligations—so I encourage you to use this wisely.

If you find yourself needing to miss more than 1 class session due to illness, family emergencies, or other significant circumstances, please reach out to me as soon as possible. I understand that life can be unpredictable, and I’m willing to work with students who communicate and show commitment to the course.

Please note that excessive absences (more than 1) without communication will affect your ability to keep up in class and will result in a lower final grade or difficulty passing. Make-up work is not guaranteed but may be offered in certain situations depending on the nature of the absence and the coursework missed, but only with good communication. 

Ultimately, I want you to succeed and stay healthy—physically and mentally—so please keep me in the loop if something comes up.

Assumption of Risk and Essential Eligibility Criteria

Assumption of risk: By participating in this class, you are accepting certain inherent risks involved in outdoor recreation. A signed waiver and assumption of risk form will be a requirement of this class as well as a health history form. You may be asked to get physician’s approval before participating in some class activities. Trips for this class may involve riding in a van to the destination and traveling over rough terrain in an environment that has many inherent risks. These risks include but are not limited to falling, weather events, floods, lightning strikes, cold/heat related injuries/illness, plant/animal dangers, rockfall, negligence of instructor or peers, and equipment failures. Further, excursions involve the challenges of traveling outdoors, away from definitive medical/psychological assistance in the event of an incident.

Essential Eligibility Criteria

In addition to the general EEC found on the ORPT website, specific EEC for this course includes but is not limited to:

Hiking
If attending outdoor field trips, each participant must be able to:
  • Travel over uneven terrain including slickrock, sand, dirt trails, talus, and rocky surfaces for extended periods of time.
  • Carry a day pack weighing approximately 10–25 lbs, including water, food, and personal gear.
  • Manage sustained physical exertion for multiple hours in variable weather and sun exposure.
  • Maintain balance and situational awareness near drop-offs, ledges, and uneven footing.
  • Independently manage personal needs (hydration, nutrition, sun protection, toileting) while in the field.

Indoor Climbing and Rappelling
Each participant must be able to:
  • Wear required equipment, including harnesses and helmets, in accordance with manufacturer standards.
  • Follow belay, rappel, and safety commands accurately and in a timely manner.
  • Maintain body position and control while climbing or lowering.
  • Grasp ropes and climbing holds securely.
  • Tolerate working at height in a controlled indoor environment.

Outdoor Climbing
Each participant must be able to:
  • Approach climbing or canyon sites over rugged, uneven terrain.
  • Tolerate exposure to heights, confined spaces, water, and variable temperatures.
  • Wear and manage technical equipment such as helmets, harnesses, wetsuits, and packs.
  • Communicate effectively in noisy or visually obstructed environments.
  • Manage balance and movement on slickrock, loose rock, and wet surfaces.

Southern Utah University and the ORPT program seek to foster a sense of belonging and inclusion for all students, including individuals with diverse abilities. The ORPT program does not exclude participants based on ability. These EEC are intended to clearly communicate course expectations related to safety, learning objectives, and group functioning.

Students who anticipate barriers to participation are encouraged to contact the course instructor, the ORPT Program Director (Jason Burton - jasonburton@suu.edu), and/or the SUU Disability Resource Center as early as possible to discuss potential reasonable accommodations. 

Reasonable accommodations will be considered in accordance with University policy, provided that such accommodations do not fundamentally alter the essential nature, learning outcomes, or safety requirements of the course

Course Fees

$7.50 per credit hour

Acceptable and Unacceptable Use of AI:

Use of generative AI as a means to complete assignments is Academic Misconduct under SUU Policy. 6.33. Any suspected use of AI to deceive or replace your own work will result in a zero on the assignment until we have a meeting to discuss the assignment and your learning. Egregious use of AI will result in a zero on the assignment as well as referral to academic integrity specialists on campus for academic misconduct violations, with all the possible consequences.
IN GENERAL: If the assignment does not explicitly list specific expectations for AI Use, these general restrictions apply.
Allowed: Brainstorming ideas, checking grammar, initial research, organizing concepts, asking for a skill to be explained a different way. This use still must be disclosed in the assignment.
Never Allowed: Generating text for discussions, copying and pasting directly from AI outputs, solving problems through prompts without critical analysis, fabricating citations, utilizing AI to replace your own work.

If you are anti-AI for ethical/environmental reasons, then you are certainly welcome to not utilize it at all, even when an assignment explicitly allows it. 

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.