Ohio State University has been working hard to make its campus as safe and healthy as possible during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, according to the “Safe and Healthy Buckeyes” page on the university website. Students who live off-campus can feel reasonably confident of their own safety while on campus if they follow some simple guidelines.
Of course, what they do in their rental houses or apartments near the Ohio State campus is their own business, though mimicking their on-campus behavior and safe-campus practices when off campus is obviously a great idea.
Signage and Furniture on Campus
Coordinating with colleges, departments and building-facilities personnel, in reaction to the pandemic, Ohio State placed clear and distinctive signage in high-density areas to help guide the flow of foot traffic and remind students, staff and faculty of safety practices, and visually mark correct spacing in wait queues.
Ohio State has marked, arranged and/or removed furniture in classrooms and common areas to support safe practices, the main one being recommended physical distancing to minimize coronavirus infection.
At least twice daily, according to OSU’s health and safety web page, the university is cleaning restrooms and disinfecting objects that have a high incidence of touching by people, especially those in high-traffic areas. These include handrails, door knobs or handles, faucets, etc. Responding to the pandemic, Ohio State’s Facilities Operations and Development department has adjusted cleaning protocols and identified additional methods to promote safety and health in both university facilities and shared outdoor spaces. (These practices have been evolving with the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, so it wouldn’t hurt to check the OSU website for further news.)
PPE Safety Kits Provided for Free
PPE (personal protective equipment) safety kits are provided to students, faculty and staff at no cost. Each kit contains one disposable mask, two reusable face coverings, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and a thermometer.
Students living in Ohio State dorms received their PPE kits when they moved in. Faculty and staff can order the kids in their departments, offices and units through the eStores program.
Cooperate or You Could Be in Trouble
Even when the purpose of restrictions and rules is patently obvious, such as during the ongoing pandemic, some people can always be depended on to ignore or break the rules. For those folks among the Ohio State student population, accountability measures have been put in place. “These may range from additional training and informal coaching to formal disciplinary action based on existing structures for students, faculty and staff,” according to Ohio State’s Health and Safety web page.
So what are the basic expectations of Ohio State students during the pandemic? According to the “accountability” page on the Safe and Healthy OSU website, “Safe campus requirements include but are not limited to: wearing masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, health symptom monitoring, participating in contact tracing, quarantine and isolation, and additional safety expectations as detailed on front page of Safe and Healthy OSU. This also outlines how the institution will hold students, faculty and staff accountable to these expectations, to help keep our community safe during this pandemic.”
Guiding Principles of the Safe Campus Initiative
According to the website, it’s vitally important that students, faculty and staff understand OSU’s Safe Campus requirements. The first step to making sure that these requirements are followed is an effective training and education program. For those who refuse to complete the training or abide by the rules in place to minimize COVID-19 infection, penalties may range from additional training or informal coaching to formal disciplinary action up to and including suspension/dismissal and/or termination of employment. The website states, “Formal action will depend on the seriousness of the violation and will generally be pursued when it is clear there is intent, a pattern and/or neglect associated with the violation.”