Some in-person events could return to Ohio State’s campus as early as Feb. 12

Ben Blavat
Wed, 03 Feb 2021 03:42:18 +0000
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In a Tuesday email to student organization leaders, Melissa Shivers, senior vice president for Student Life, said approved events and gatherings of 10 or fewer people could resume as soon as Feb. 12. Organizations may begin submitting requests to host events Monday. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

Some in-person events could return to Ohio State’s campus as early as next week.

In a Tuesday email to student organization leaders, Melissa Shivers, senior vice president for Student Life, said approved events and gatherings of 10 or fewer people could resume as soon as Feb. 12. Organizations may begin submitting requests to host events Monday.

Shivers said students must follow Ohio State COVID-19 guidelines, such as mask-wearing and physical distancing, and provide a plan for minimizing the risk of virus spread. Organizations will also have to abide by the city of Columbus’s stay-at-home order, which has been extended through Saturday, and Gov. Mike DeWine’s statewide 11 p.m. curfew, which is set to expire Feb. 11, which could both be extended.

“While I appreciate that everyone is eager to come back together and the pandemic is overstaying its welcome, to continue fighting COVID-19 we simply must maintain our focus,” Shivers said.

Shivers said participating in gatherings too early, especially without following COVID-19 precautions, would greatly inhibit the university’s ability to resume events. More than 100 students violated these guidelines twice in the past week by gathering on the South Oval in large groups to sled down hills on a wide assortment of vessels, including a dumpster.

Students may request to use event space starting Monday, for events beginning Feb. 12. Information about reserving different spaces around campus is available on the Ohio Union website.

Student organizations must get written approval from both their primary adviser and a contact person at the location where they wish to host their event, according to the email. Food will be prohibited at all venues.

Club Sports organizations should coordinate with the Recreational Sports Department to plan events. Shivers said more information will be available later in the week.

Shivers said the university will provide another update regarding the resumption of in-person activities Monday morning.

Ohio State’s seven-day average student positivity rate is currently 0.71 percent and has held below 1 percent for a week, according to the university’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Franklin County had 126 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday, according to preliminary data from the Ohio Department of Health. The 43201 zip code, where most off-campus students reside, has had 104 confirmed cases since Jan. 18, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.