Office of Student Life

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September 25, 2024

Dear Buckeyes,

Autumn semester is well underway, and I hope you are in a good place at this point of the academic year.  With so many things happening, both on campus and around the world, it’s important to take time for yourself and your well-being. Here are some news and notes from the Office of Student Life to help you engage, learn and thrive.  

In this edition: 

  • Well, well, wellness 

  • Helping Others with Wellness 

  • Updated University Space Standards 

  • Ohio State’s Commitment to Freedom of Expression 

  • Election Day asynchronous learning 

  • Voting 

  • Buck-I-SERV 

  • Safety Tips 

  • University Conduct Board (UCB) Members Needed 

  • Committee On Academic Misconduct (COAM) Student Panel Members Needed 

  • OH! the Places You’ll Go 

  • Meet the Team 

 

Well, Well Wellness 

Current events at the local, regional, national and global level can impact your mental health.  Student Life Counseling and Consultation Service, in collaboration with partners from across the university, has created a website to share resources to help you navigate our complex world. Visit the Coping with Current Events webpage for programming and other resources that support students both individually and with their student groups. The page will be updated with other resources throughout the year.  

Help Others with Wellness 
The Student Life Student Wellness Center (SLSWC) is recruiting volunteers for the Monda Student Resource Center, Scarlet and Gray Financial Coaching, Wellness Ambassadors and Wellness Coaching!  Opportunities are available for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. Understand the Ten Dimensions of Wellness , promote wellness to your peers, learn about topics important to college students’ health and well-being and gain valuable experiences. Any interested student needs to complete the Student Life Student Wellness Center Volunteer Application by Sept. 30, 2024, at 5 p.m.

Updated University Space Standards
As you plan your next on-campus event or activity, please be sure to review the university’s Space Standards that were updated over the summer. In addition to revisions to improve readability and clarity, other changes include a new definitions section, a common closing time for outdoor spaces, specification that disruptive noise, including megaphones and other tools, are not permitted without prior approval. Additional information about using space on our campus can be found online.   

Ohio State’s Commitment to Freedom of Expression 
The First Amendment and Ohio law expressly protect the rights of students, faculty, staff and visitors at the university to lawfully engage in speech and expressive activities. The Freedom of Expression website is an online hub for support resources, policies and other information to help everyone participate in public discourse and exercise their rights. The website includes educational content about the First Amendment, including Frequently Asked Questions. More information about freedom of expression at Ohio State is available online.

Election Day Asynchronous Learning   
There will be a university-wide day of asynchronous learning on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, as a one-time pilot trial to support student participation in the general election. Instructors whose classes would otherwise have met in person or virtually on Nov. 5 will, in lieu of meeting, assign asynchronous classwork (e.g., reading, writing, a problem set, an asynchronous online lab, or other homework) to be determined by the instructor. More information about Election Day’s asynchronous learning is online. Thank you and congratulations to our student government leaders who led the effort to make this happen. 

Voting 
Have you registered to vote or updated your voter registration? Ohio’s voter registration and update deadline is Oct. 7, 2024. In upholding our motto of “education for citizenship,” OSU Votes wants to encourage all students to be civically engaged through voting and beyond. Stop by an OSU Votes table or join a workshop to learn more about voter registration and civic engagement on campus. Ohio General Election Deadlines: 

  • October 7 – Last day to submit or update your voter registration for November 5 election 

  • October 8 – Absentee voting by mail and early in-person voting begins 

  • October 29 – Ohio absentee ballot application must be received by the Board of Elections in the county where you are registered to vote 

  • November 5 – General Election Day with polls open from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. 


Buck-I-SERV  
Travel, learn and serve during winter break by participating in a Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break trip! The Office of Student Life’s Buck-I-SERV Alternative Break program is now accepting applications for winter 2024 trips. Winter break trips will travel from December 14-21, 2024. Buck-I-SERV is a week-long, substance-free program centered on direct community service and civic engagement. Applications will be accepted until Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, through the Buck-I-SERV applicant portal. Please visit the Buck-I-SERV webpage or contact Buck-I-Serv@osu.edu for more information.

Safety Tips 
 Make safety a priority by eliminating distractions. Bikes and scooter riders should ride in the road instead of sidewalks, wear a helmet and ride with caution. Bikes can use the full lane and motorists must allow at least three feet of space when passing. Scooters are intended to be ridden by one person at a time. Motorists should not text and drive and should be on alert for pedestrians. Pedestrians should use crosswalks and wait for the walk signal to enter the road. Read more about traffic safety online.


University Conduct Board (UCB) Members Needed 
The University Conduct Board (UCB) hears cases in which students are charged with non-academic violations of the Code of Student Conduct. The UCB is comprised of students, faculty and staff from across the university. The UCB provides a valuable service by upholding the university’s standards through a fair and impartial hearing. Learn more about joining the UCB at go.osu.edu/UCBService. Apply to serve on UCB through our application link. If you have any questions related to the board or the ability to serve, please contact Kirby Bell at bell.1776@osu.edu. 

Committee On Academic Misconduct (COAM) Student Panel Members Needed  
The Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM) is looking for students to help uphold our shared values of integrity. You will serve alongside faculty to consider cases of potential student academic misconduct. Please visit our information page at go.osu.edu/coam or the application for membership at go.osu.edu/serveoncoam. If you have any questions about the panel or your availability to serve, please contact coam@osu.edu.

OH! the Places You’ll Go 
Love science and want a way to have fun? How about visiting COSI, Ohio’s Center of Science and Industry! You can save money by getting tickets through D-Tix, Ohio State’s discount ticket program. COSI tickets are just $13, two per BuckID per week for current Ohio State Columbus campus students. There are plenty of other opportunities as well, including shows, museums, concerts, sporting events and more available at an exclusive rate. Find out more online.  

Meet the Team 
I’d like to introduce you to Dilna Cama, Director, Willie J. Young Sr. Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement. Meet Dilna by reading her online bio. 


Go Bucks! 

 

Doc  

Melissa Shivers, PhD  
Senior Vice President for Student Life