The Collaborator

October and November 2020

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Safe and Healthy Buckeyes

The Ohio State University is dedicated to providing a safe, healthy and uninterrupted semester of instruction. Safe and Healthy Buckeyes is a regularly updated resource advising students and campus partners alike on Ohio State’s response to COVID-19. The Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website features news, frequently asked questions and a dashboard of updated statuses on COVID-19 across Ohio and within the Columbus campus community. The data is being shared in a way that protects individuals’ medical and educational privacy — and will help inform university decision-making related to on-campus operations, health and safety measures and more throughout the autumn semester.

Learn more

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New Safety Devices Process

This semester, to ensure efficiency and social distancing, OCCSS has gone virtual with our Safety Devices registration process. As always, our safety devices are complimentary to all off-campus and commuter students. Students can sign up for a pickup time through our online form and select the devices they would like from the comfort of their home. We offer window and door alarms, light timers, 9V batteries, and more!

New Virtual Communities for Your Tenants

To continue strengthening off-campus and commuter students’ connection to the University, our Community Ambassador and Commuter Mentor peer leaders have created online communities for students living in the University District and beyond. Commuter students may join iCommute to connect with fellow commuter students and our peer mentors, while students in the University District have a home in BLOC (Buckeyes Living Off-Campus).

Off-Campus Living Expo Update

We have not yet made any decisions on an Off-Campus Living Expo. We do know we will not be hosting an in-person event but have been investigating the potential for a virtual Off-Campus Living Expo. At this time, we are unsure of whether we will be moving forward with this and/or the timing of this type of an event. As soon as we have a confirmed decision or plan, we will make sure to keep everyone in the loop.

Spring 2021 Academic Calendar

Ohio State campuses will continue to be open in the new year and classes will take place through a mix of in-person, online and blended teaching that supports the university’s Safe and Healthy Buckeyes plan. Classes will begin on January 11 with a few notable changes:

The first week of classes (Jan. 11-15) will be online so that members of the university community have ample time to quarantine prior to any in-person sessions.
There will be no spring break. Instead, there will be two instructional breaks — on Tuesday, Feb. 9, and Wednesday, March 31 — where there will be no classes. This approach will keep our community together throughout the semester and reduce travel-related exposures.
Classes will end April 21 with a reading day on April 22. Final exams will take place April 23-29.
Full academic calendar.