Navigating Ohio University’s campus may become easier for visitors in the future as new signs could be installed.
The goal is to improve vehicular signs and parking signs as well as add transit and accessibility signs, according to the October Board of Trustee agenda.
“You interact with people during Bobcat Student Orientation or anybody who’s new to campus, coming for a campus tour … and people have such a hard time navigating the parking situation,” Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones said.
The anticipated cost of the campus-wide implementation of the new signs could be approximately $3 million, although the cost has not officially been determined yet, according to the board agenda. The costs associated with an initial implementation phase have been conceptually accounted for the FY17-FY22 Six Year Capital Improvement Plan for $600,000.
Harry Smith said he thinks the money going toward the signs could be spent elsewhere.
“I think the conditions some of the kids have to live in as freshman and sophomores can be improved,” Smith, a junior studying finance, said.
The signage initiative has come from the university's consultant Ayers Saint Gross and an advisory committee of staff members who interact with visitors, according to the board agenda. The advisory committee is comprised of 23 people including Ohio University Police Department Chief Andrew Powers, Executive Director of Residential Housing Pete Trentacoste and University Planner and Director of University Planning and Space Management Shawna Bolin.
In 2017, the committee will return to the board for review and approval of the completed sign guidelines.
Molly McCool said she did not know how to get around South Green when she was a freshman moving in and could have benefited from more signs.
“Even when I have visitors now, no one knows where to go,” McCool, a sophomore studying marketing, said. “There’s just no directions really.”
Although she likes the idea of the signs, she would rather the university put air conditioning in all the residence halls on South Green.
“I don’t know if $3 million for signs is worth it,” McCool said.
Hall-Jones said the parking signs around campus are hard to read from cars and the one-way streets can be difficult to navigate for visitors.
“When you look through Ohio University through the eyes of a visitor who have never been here before, you realize how hard it is to really get around,” Hall-Jones said. “I think if you try to say that we’re open and friendly, signage is a part of that.”
