Office of Student Life

Today’s Update: Our Commitment to Campus Safety

April 14, 2026

Dear Student Life team,

The safety and well-being of our campus community remain our absolute top priority—both for the university and for us here in Student Life. It is the foundation of everything we do. That is why the incident at Lincoln Tower Park this past Friday night is so deeply disturbing. While we know that the two individuals involved were not affiliated with the university, an act of violence that results in loss of life is a tragedy that impacts us all.

I want to share the immediate and long-term measures we are putting in place to ensure our recreational spaces remain safe and welcoming environments for our students, staff and faculty members.

Immediate Operational Changes: Almost immediately following the incident, our Recreational Sports team began a rigorous partnership with the Ohio State Division of Police (OSUPD) to review access protocols. Effective Monday, April 13, we implemented the following: 

  • Increased Presence: OSUPD has increased patrols in the area, and we have stepped up surveillance conducted by Student Life staff members. 

  • Revised Field Access: Our sports clubs and intramural teams utilize the Lincoln Tower Park fields until approximately 10 or 11 p.m. nightly. While these fields were previously available for open recreation after those hours, we have discontinued open recreation immediately following the final scheduled event each evening. 

  • Professional Oversight: Recreational Sports is re-evaluating our physical staffing levels to provide consistent professional oversight at the fields during peak evening hours.

Strategic Enhancements and Future Planning: Beyond these immediate shifts, we are looking closely at the long-term security of our perimeter and access points: 

  • Vulnerability Assessment: Yesterday afternoon, Dave DeAngelo and Josh Bodnar conducted a comprehensive walkthrough of the fields to identify specific vulnerabilities and opportunities for enhancement. I want to thank them for their quick action and expertise. 

  • Signage and Enforcement: We are evaluating all current signage to ensure usage policies are crystal clear and, more importantly, enforceable by our teams and OSUPD. 

  • Structural and Technological Upgrades: We are exploring long-term options for structural or technological security upgrades to further secure the perimeter.

While it is deeply unfortunate to have an incident like this occur on our campus, I am consistently moved by the way this division responds to challenges. I am Scarlet and Grateful to the Recreational Sports and all Student Life teams for moving so swiftly to evaluate our protocols and implement these vital protections.

Thank you for all you do to care for our community and one another. 

Melissa S. Shivers, PhD
Senior Vice President for Student Life
The Ohio State University