College Nordic Walking Group License

Purpose of the License

The College Nordic Walking Group License is an NWANA group license intended for the creation and gradual development of a Nordic Walking Group connected with a specific college, community college, technical college, or other participating postsecondary institution within this category.

The license applies to the group as a separate group within the NWANA system. It is not an individual participant license, official campus recognition, educational accreditation, a professional teaching or coaching credential, or an athlete competition license.

Available Group Formats

A College Nordic Walking Group may operate as:

• a Registered Student Organization or officially recognized student club;

• a program operated by the college;

• a Campus Recreation, Student Life, Wellness, or Athletics program;

• an initiative organized by faculty members or college employees with institutional approval;

• a program conducted by an authorized community or professional partner;

• another format officially approved by the college.

In every format, a group connected with a specific college may be created only by the college or with its permission.

The College Nordic Walking Group License does not, by itself, establish the group as a Registered Student Organization or grant any other official campus status. Those designations must be obtained through the college’s own approval process.

Authorization from the College

A student, faculty member, college employee, campus professional, authorized partner, or another eligible person may propose the creation of a Nordic Walking Group at a particular college.

However, obtaining an Individual College License does not, by itself, authorize that person to:

• represent the college;

• use its name, logo, facilities, student lists, internal communication channels, or other resources;

• establish a group as an official college program or Registered Student Organization;

• make commitments or collect funds on behalf of the college.

NWANA may request confirmation that the college has authorized the creation of the group and the use of its identity.

A group that has not been authorized or recognized by the college may not use the college’s name or present itself as an official college program. A separate local initiative may instead be created under the appropriate Community Nordic Walking Group License without representing the college.

How a Licensed Group Is Created

The formation of a new College Nordic Walking Group may begin when at least one eligible Individual College License holder proposes the group and the selected college authorizes or officially recognizes its creation.

After the college’s authorization is confirmed, NWANA creates the College Nordic Walking Group, provides it with a group license, and creates a dedicated page within the NWANA system.

The first registered participant becomes the first licensed participant associated with the new group. This person does not automatically become the group’s owner, leader, instructor, coach, advisor, or official college representative and is not required to organize its activities.

The college determines who is authorized to represent it and who may perform leadership, advisory, instructional, supervisory, or administrative functions within the group.

Who the Group May Serve

The college determines the intended audience for its College Nordic Walking Group.

Depending on the approved format, the group may serve:

• currently enrolled students;

• faculty members and college employees;

• alumni;

• participants in Campus Recreation, Student Life, Wellness, Athletics, or other approved programs;

• authorized volunteers and partners;

• other participants approved by the college.

The group license does not independently provide access to students, campus facilities, college programs, records, communication systems, or other institutional resources.

What the Group License Provides

The College Nordic Walking Group License allows the authorized group to:

• operate within the NWANA system as a Nordic Walking Group connected with the participating college;

• have a dedicated page for approved information, registration, news, programs, and events;

• welcome eligible Individual College License holders;

• introduce Nordic Walking opportunities within the college community;

• organize approved walks, clubs, recreational activities, and wellness programs;

• invite appropriately qualified instructors, coaches, and other professionals;

• participate in NWANA programs and events;

• organize its own approved in-person and virtual events and competitions;

• establish authorized volunteer, partnership, sponsorship, and fundraising initiatives;

• develop gradually toward RECOGNIZED status.

Obtaining the group license does not require the college or group to begin any activities immediately.

Cost of the Group License

The initial College Nordic Walking Group License is provided free of charge.

Creating the group and its dedicated page is also free. During the initial stage, the group does not pay an annual NWANA fee.

The $200 annual group license fee applies only after the group voluntarily receives RECOGNIZED status.

No Initial NWANA Requirements

Obtaining and maintaining the initial group license does not require NWANA to impose:

• a minimum number of participants;

• the immediate appointment of a group leader or faculty advisor;

• an instructor, coach, or judge;

• regular walks, practices, or training sessions;

• organized events or competitions;

• the collection of membership fees;

• an immediate application for RECOGNIZED status.

The group may begin with one interested and eligible participant and develop at a pace approved by the participating college.

The college may establish its own requirements for a Registered Student Organization, student club, campus program, faculty advisor, group leadership, membership, activities, or continued institutional recognition.

College Responsibility

The participating college determines and oversees:

• the approved organizational format;

• requirements for Registered Student Organizations and student clubs;

• permitted participants and membership rules;

• group leadership and faculty or staff advisors;

• access to campus facilities and resources;

• requirements for instructors, coaches, volunteers, and external partners;

• event, travel, safety, insurance, and transportation procedures;

• financial accounts, fundraising, sponsorships, and collection of fees;

• communication, branding, and use of the college’s identity;

• other institutional policies applicable to the group.

The College Nordic Walking Group License does not replace the college’s approval process, campus policies, student organization requirements, or other institutional procedures.

Possible Areas of Development

Depending on the interests of the participants and the authorization provided by the college, the group may gradually develop:

• introductory Nordic Walking activities;

• student clubs and campus organizations;

• recreational walks and social meetups;

• wellness and physical activity programs;

• instruction provided by appropriately qualified professionals;

• recreational or competitive training programs;

• campus events and community-engagement activities;

• educational events and workshops;

• participation in NWANA competitions and other events;

• its own approved in-person and virtual competitions;

• volunteer, partnership, sponsorship, and fundraising initiatives.

None of these activities is required by NWANA for the group to maintain its initial license.

Qualified Activities

The group license does not, by itself, authorize any participant to teach Nordic Walking technique, provide professional instruction, coach participants or athletes, supervise programs requiring professional qualifications, or serve as a judge.

A person must have the appropriate training, license, qualification, college approval, and any other required authorization to perform these activities.

The group may exist and develop before it has an instructor, coach, advisor, or judge. Professional qualifications are not required for ordinary participation or authorized organizational and volunteer assistance.

All activities conducted under the college’s name must comply with the college’s authorization and institutional policies.

Group Events and Competitions

A College Nordic Walking Group may organize its own in-person and virtual events and competitions as it develops and with the authorization of the participating college.

The college determines the permitted participants, location, supervision, format, use of campus resources, and other conditions for each activity.

Such an event may be presented as a competition of the group or participating college only to the extent authorized by the college.

If the group wishes to obtain separate designation for a competition as an official NWANA competition, that designation must be arranged separately in accordance with NWANA rules.

Financial Structure

During the initial stage, payments associated with approved group programs and events and collected through the NWANA-created page are processed through NWANA.

After NWANA operating expenses, these funds may be used to support the group’s page, events, programs, and continued development.

Any fundraising, sponsorship, collection of fees, or other financial activity conducted under the college’s name must be authorized by the college.

If the group later receives RECOGNIZED status, it may be provided with expanded administrative capabilities and its own payment structure within the NWANA system, subject to the applicable arrangements with the participating college.

RECOGNIZED Status

RECOGNIZED status applies to the group and its group license, not to an individual participant.

Obtaining this status is optional. The group may remain at the initial stage for as long as necessary.

The requirements and application process for RECOGNIZED status will be published separately at the appropriate stage of the program’s development.

After the group receives RECOGNIZED status, the annual cost of its NWANA group license is $200.

Difference from the Individual College License

The College Nordic Walking Group License applies to the authorized group and is initially provided free of charge.

The Individual College License applies to a specific person and costs $20 per year. RunSignup automatically prorates the fee based on the time remaining in the current license year.

The Individual College License is intended for students, faculty members, college employees, campus professionals, authorized partners, and other eligible people interested in supporting the development of Nordic Walking at a specific college.

An applicant must have an appropriate connection with the selected college or authorization to participate in proposing or supporting the initiative. A person with no connection to the college may not register an Individual College License under the college’s name without its permission.

An Individual College License holder may join an existing authorized group or help propose the creation of a new group. The individual license does not authorize its holder to represent the college or create a group under the college’s name without permission.

Individual license holders may register for and participate in NWANA in-person and virtual competitions in accordance with the rules of each event. They receive a 5% discount on NWANA competition registration fees.

Neither the individual license nor the group license is an athlete competition license. If a separate athlete license is required for a particular competition, this requirement will be stated in the event rules. The athlete license can be obtained through https://license.nwaofna.org/.