Ohio University suspends student organization gatherings over COVID-19 concerns

Student Life at Ohio State has announced that all in-person organization events or gatherings are suspended due to concerns of the increasing positive rate of COVID-19 on campus.

According to an email on Friday August 28, 2020, the office of Student Life said it was a right decision to make in order to help protect students, faculty and staff as efforts are in gear to organize virtual meetings instead.

The move became imperative in a bid to fight the increasing numbers of students testing positive for COVID-19 on and around Ohio State’s campus.

“We know many of you have already dramatically changed the way in which you are interacting this semester, and we thank you. This new action is not a punishment and we are not suggesting that your student organization is doing anything more,” the email sent on Friday read.

The email added the suspension goes through September 9, 2020, while acknowledging the battle with COVID-19 and necessary action to take more significant steps for the next few weeks “in hopes for a continued and successful semester.”

Life Student’s move impacts more than 1,400 student organizations at the University.

According to Ohio State University, Thursday’s positivity rate was at 3.10%, while data through last Saturday showed a student positivity rate of 1.16%.

Friday’s announcement came in a letter from Ohio State’s Office of Student Life, and was signed by Any L. Fairchild, PhD, MPH Dean, College of Public Health, and Gladys M. Gibbs, MD, MS Director, Student