College is one of the most daunting experiences young people can face. The maelstrom of new people, cavernous lecture halls and sudden onslaught of freedom is both exciting and extremely overwhelming.
When you mix the chaos of college with the current turmoil faced by higher education in Ohio, in addition to the issues Ohio University itself is facing, arriving at OU can feel like walking into a sinking ship.
I promise, OU is not going down any time soon, and you are going to have plenty of fun. Enrolling at OU comes with lots of necessary background students should be aware of, from its Appalachian setting to the ongoing professor unionization battle, but being knowledgeable about Bobcat current affairs shouldn’t stop anyone from making the most of their years in Athens.
There are numerous important facts students should know about Athens and OU to help contextualize their new home. OU is in Appalachia, a large region of America that spreads from parts of New York down to Mississippi. Appalachia is often solely defined by its economic underdevelopment and poverty, the presence of extractive industries and hard-to-traverse geography. However, the region is much more than any of those things; although they are realities, Appalachia has a wealth of culture and natural beauty that begets affection, and no one subregion is the same.
Southeast Ohio, the corner of the state where Athens and OU are nestled, is not immune to the struggles of Appalachia but also has the beauty and community that comes with it. It is important, if you’re a student, to not look down on or shy away from the greater Athens community off campus. Economic hardship shouldn’t be the only thing you see, but you also shouldn’t ignore it; come to campus with empathy and without judgment.
There is a natural tension between campus and the Athens outside of campus. Students often come to OU with preconceived ideas about what Appalachia is, and they are never kind. Stereotypes about Appalachians being dumb and poor are widespread. Students must abandon these ideas and embrace their new home. Go to Strouds Run and have a beach day, shop at the Athens Farmers Market and engage with the parts of town not seen on campus.
After absorbing the base knowledge of what Appalachia is and where OU exists within it, understanding campus-specific issues is a good next step toward being a knowledgeable Bobcat.
The most prominent issue on campus right now is the ongoing unionization battle between United Academics of Ohio University and OU’s administration. UAOU is the professors’ union at OU and is organizing in response to stagnant wages and budget cuts. Repeated layoffs of faculty and administrative bloat have led many OU professors to fight for a better contract.
OU has continued to use students’ tuition money to finance its union-busting tactics. Remembering this when you’re in class and taking advantage of office hours is paramount; your professors will be one of the main reasons you succeed in college. Volunteers and faculty with UAOU are frequently present on campus, particularly under Alumni Gateway on College Green; ask questions and engage with them.
Additionally, ongoing challenges with Senate Bill 1, also known as the Advance Higher Education Act, will continue to shape the OU experience. SB1 is an Ohio law that regulates identity-based services and curriculum on several topics, including race, sexuality and climate change.
SB1 already shut down OU’s Pride Center, Multicultural Center and Women’s Center, and also changed how professors are evaluated and created post-tenure check-ins for them. After SB1 passed, massive student-led protests took place at OU. Students found common ground, uniting in support of their freedom to learn and freedom of expression.
All of these hefty topics and issues should galvanize student involvement on campus, but they shouldn’t keep anyone from having a good time. The four years we get on campus are supposed to be fun. While the political machinations of state education reform and union-busting are happening in the background, still meet friends, go out and make memories in the foreground.
The highs will be high, and the lows will be low; don’t let things you can’t control drag you to the bottom when you should be having the time of your life. That doesn’t mean you get a pass to be ignorant of what is going on, but it does mean you are allowed to have some grace. Spend your four years building friendships while also standing up for what’s right on campus.
Jackson McCoy is a senior studying journalism and environmental studies at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to share your thoughts? Let Jackson know by emailing him at jm049122@ohio.edu.
