As Ohio University regional campus students head into Spring Semester, OU is continuing protocols that students believe will keep them safe.
For Spring Semester, OU’s regional campuses will continue with hybrid classes, which allows students to take some classes with a mix of online and in-person instruction.
Although the regional campuses do not have COVID-19 asymptomatic testing on site, the OhioHealth partnership works to combat the spread of coronavirus.
The OhioHealth partnership gives OU employees and students access to expanded COVID-19 testing. It provides a COVID-19 hotline for individuals to call, a list of symptoms one may experience with COVID-19, tips for self-isolation and sources for coronavirus-related questions.
“The University’s top priority continues to be the safety and security of all of our students, faculty and staff and the communities where our campuses are located,” Carly Leatherwood, university spokesperson, said in an email.
With five different regional campuses and over 7,000 students enrolled in total, students have their own opinions of their safety on campus.
Sarah Shavers, a senior on OU’s Southern campus studying nursing, is graduating in December. While taking some hybrid classes with in-person instruction this fall, Shavers felt confident about her safety on campus.
“I feel like they are doing a great job. All nursing students were provided with masks, face shield and hand sanitizer for our clinicals,” Shavers said in an email. “The few short times we were on campus we were socially distanced as well.”
Morgan Dick, a senior studying social work at OU’s Eastern campus, had all online classes in the fall. She believes all of her classes will be online for Spring Semester, but she would not be afraid to go on campus for any reason.
“Eastern’s doing pretty well … at maintaining everything,” Dick said. “I would feel safe if I had to go back in because there's only like ten people in my classes.”
Anthony Mirisola, a sophomore studying communications studies at OU’s Chillicothe campus, has similar feelings.
“I personally wouldn't mind going on campus,” Mirisola said. “I prefer to be in person just because I'm able to learn better so ... I would be more willing to go back onto campus, as long as there would be measures in place to protect everyone's safety.”
