On June 12, the Director of the Recreation and Wellness Center fired Linda Rosenkranz and indefinitely suspended the Outdoor Recreation Center (ORC). This decision is as unnecessary as it is actively harmful and takes away resources from students, alumni, employees and community members who spend time outdoors.

The ORC offers affordable outdoor gear and trips to explore the incredible mountains, caves, rivers, and forests of the South East, contributing to the mental and physical health of the entire Vanderbilt community and providing a unique resource on campus. Linda founded the program over 30 years ago, enabling students from all over campus to access the outdoors, and it has become increasingly successful over time.

The decision to indefinitely close the ORC threatens tens of thousands of dollars worth of outdoor equipment at a time when outdoor activities are some of the safest imaginable given the COVID epidemic. After 30+ years of directing the ORC, the abrupt firing of Linda (instead of furloughing her like her other colleagues) is extremely unjust.  Linda’s legacy is one of compassion, care, and dedication to fostering a community of individuals who respect the outdoors.  

A letter outlining the full scope of this injustice can be found at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AFCh3CAX49rDRWXzYLJwnHkZysCa9cBOdCf_yd2_f0E/edit?usp=sharing

To demand that Linda be reinstated as head of the Outdoor Recreation program at Vanderbilt and that the outdoor equipment be saved, please sign this petition and share your own stories in the comments and this Google form: https://forms.gle/bPW1v3XE9vwJnXnB9

To make an even greater impact, call or email Vanderbilt administrators directly - here's a list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14P_gpWMeSifz_CF6IFGtt2qK-ob2OYGRVjN4tZxJBjU/edit?usp=sharing 

Programs like the ORC and people like Linda are the human element that make Vanderbilt worth attending.