Housing Options
Individual students must find housing solutions that suit their own needs. The basic options are:
- On the Athens campus - OU residence halls or OU-owned rentals (apartments or houses),
- In Athens or Dublin - privately-owned rentals (apartments, houses or mobile homes), or
- condo, house or mobile home purchase.
Current students are available to offer advice about housing based on their own experiences through Facebook groups and personal communication. Often landlords prefer medical students as tenants and will let the college know of upcoming vacancies. Incoming students should begin their housing search early in the spring prior to matriculation.
Many rental properties are listed in local newspapers, which can be accessed online. A listing of these sites can be found at http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/Admissions/Housing.htm.
Food Service
A variety of meal plan options are available to Athens students through OU’s dining services. Students do not have to live on campus to participate in one of the meal plans, but may purchase any of the plans as an off-campus student. All university food service contracts are binding for the entire academic year for on-campus students. Off-campus students may purchase a quarterly meal plan contract. More in-depth information about Ohio University’s food service is available at www.facilities.ohiou.edu/food.
The Dublin campus features the Bobcat Way Cafe’, operated by Ohio University Food Services, where students may purchase freshly made bistro items such as soups, salads, and sandwiches.
Vehicle Registration and Parking
Ohio University students must register vehicles or motorcycles with OU’s parking services prior to purchasing a permit. For security purposes, it is recommended that any bicycle that will be kept on campus be registered with the Ohio University Police Department. For additional information on vehicle registration, see www.facilities.ohiou.edu/parking/students.htm.
After registering the vehicle, commuter permits must be purchased in person at the Parking Services Office located at 100 Factory Street. A driver’s license and student ID are required to purchase a permit. Students must also present a copy of their local lease upon purchasing a commuter permit. Students living in several apartment complexes on or near the university (“near the university” as defined by parking services) are not eligible for commuter permits. For additional information on parking permits, see www.facilities.ohiou.edu/parking/std_permits.htm.
As of the publication date of this catalog, Dublin campus students are not required to purchase a parking permit for use on that campus.
Health Care
Major medical insurance coverage is mandatory for all Ohio University students registered for seven or more credit hours. Students will be automatically enrolled in and billed for a policy offered by the university. If the student does not wish to purchase the policy offered by Ohio University, he or she may decline it by providing documentation of comparable coverage. To avoid paying for the policy offered by Ohio University, students must decline coverage by the posted deadline.
More information about the insurance coverage available to Ohio University students is accessible by visiting http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/CampusCare/Billing.htm or by contacting the Ohio University Student Health Insurance Administrator via email at studentinsurance@ohio.edu or telephone 740.593.1931.
Student Health Care
Campus Care, located in Hudson Health Center on the Athens campus and operated by University Medical Associates, Inc., offers health care services to Ohio University students. Enrolled students may access medical care in the ambulatory care clinic on a walk-in basis Sunday through Friday. Eligibility for services does not depend on purchasing student health insurance. Students who already have comparable health coverage may waive the United Healthcare student insurance plan by logging online to My Ohio and completing the insurance waiver. To avoid paying for the policy offered by Ohio University, you must decline the coverage online by the posted deadline. Details of the policy’s coverage are available at www.uhcsr.com/college/ViewBrochures.aspx. Once on this page select “Ohio University” from the drop down menu. Please Note: Submission of an alternative insurance card to Campus Care or any other facility is not considered a valid waiver for the Student Health Insurance Policy.
The WellBeing program is an optional enhancement to student health care. It works with your medical insurance to reduce the costs of health services as well as expanding student health care options on campus. Every student is automatically enrolled. You can opt out of this fee and see the deadline by accessing the waiver on your MY OHIO Student Center. A waiver is required once each term. The WellBeing benefits are valid only at Ohio University Campus Care.
The outpatient clinic offers a pharmacy, a medical laboratory, X-ray facilities and a physical therapy department. The staff includes physicians, registered nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, and registered laboratory and x-ray technicians. A medical record is maintained. More information about Campus Care is available at www.oucom.ohiou.edu/CampusCare/.
Counseling and Psychological Services
In Athens, Ohio University operates Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS http://www.ohio.edu/counseling/index.cfm), which provides mental health and adjustment services to students and also consultation to faculty, administrators and parents of students. Athens-based OU students, including Heritage College students in Athens, also have access to a 24/7 phone-in service for counseling. This after-hours service provides phone-based counseling by mental health professionals as well as immediate referral to an on-call CPS staff counselor in Athens if needed for an emergency.
A wide variety of confidential and psychological services are offered through CPS on the Athens campus including individual counseling; group counseling; drop-in/emergency services; consultation; psychiatric consultation; eating disorders/body image; medical withdrawal; emergency consultation; and psychiatric services in the Athens area.
Although these services are available to Heritage College registered students at their clinical sites and to Dublin campus students, the distance to the Athens Campus serves as an obstacle to accessing them unless the students are serving rotations in the Athens area. Students at their clinical (CORE) training sites utilize services of professionals recommended through their CORE Assistant Dean and CORE administrator or they identify their own provider. Access is provided through the United Health Care plan.
Through a memorandum of understanding, Syntero–a two campus behavioral health center–will provide psychological services and access to 24/7 mental health care for the Dublin students. Syntero’s Dublin site is within 4.5 miles of the Dublin campus. Syntero offers a number of counseling services, services, including individual and family, child and adolescent, geriatric, trauma and substance abuse. Syntero also accepts United Health Care insurance plans.
Dublin students have access to 24/7 service through Syntero through their phone line as well as staffing for emergency cases at the Dublin Methodist Hospital within a mile from the Heritage College Dublin campus. Beyond individual and group counseling, Syntero can provide the College contracted services for educational sessions on depression, anxiety, grief counseling, etc…
Recreation
There are many recreational opportunities at Ohio University, which include activities at the Charles J. Ping Student Recreation Center, an aquatic center, an indoor ice skating rink, a golf course and driving range, gymnasiums, tennis courts, athletic fields and areas for activities ranging from softball to horseshoe pitching. Another popular feature of the Athens area, used by students and the community alike, is the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway, a 16-mile paved bicycle trail that runs from Athens to nearby Nelsonville. Though built for bicycling, the trail is very popular with walkers and joggers, as well.
For the sports-minded, many intramural activities that involve individual, dual and team competition are available for interested students. For more information about the recreational facilities and opportunities at Ohio University, please visit the university’s Web site at www.ohio.edu/recreation.
Ohio University is in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I-A and is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Ohio fields men’s varsity teams in football, basketball, baseball, golf, wrestling and cross country, and women’s varsity teams in basketball, softball, field hockey, indoor and outdoor track, swimming, cross country, volleyball and soccer. For more information about OU’s intercollegiate sports activities, please access the www.ohiobobcats.com.
Many scenic areas are located near Athens and are used as weekend retreats by students. Among the most popular are Dow Lake, located just east of Athens in a 200-acre state park and used by the university for educational and research projects; Lake Hope, located in Zaleski State Forest about 25 miles from Athens; the caves and gorges of the Hocking Hills State Park area near Logan; and Burr Oak Lake, Glouster. Athens County is also home to portions of the Wayne National Forest, which offers ample recreational opportunities for those who seek “the great outdoors” on the weekend. For additional information on local attractions, visit www.athensohio.com.
The City of Dublin takes great measures to sustain and improve the quality of life for our residents. Dublin is a vibrant City with safe neighborhoods, a solid network of parks and shared-use paths and a variety of community events and activities for our residents to enjoy. With more than 100 miles of bikepaths and 56 parks, Dublin has been recognized nationally as one of the best places to live. A complete listing of recreation opportunities for our Dublin students can be found here http://dublinohiousa.gov/recreation-services/.
Cultural Events and Entertainment
Ohio University and the Athens community ensure that OU students do not lack access to theatrical productions performed by professionals, theater students and faculty, and community groups; first run movies; foreign films and art exhibits. Opera, recitals, musical and dance concerts, poetry slams, distinguished lectures and an annual literary festival also make up part of the rich cultural experiences available to students at Ohio University.
The Performing Arts Series on the OU Athens Campus is a well-established series of 10 to 14 national and international programs that include symphony orchestras, Broadway theater, dance, recitalists and choral and ethnic programs.
Southeastern Ohio’s cultural heritage center, the Dairy Barn Arts Center, presents exhibitions that annually draw more than 8,000 gallery patrons from around the world. Notable among these exhibitions are the biennial juried Quilt National and Bead International, which tour to host venues across the country for two years following their close at The Dairy Barn Arts Center. Additionally, the center offers the biennial exhibits Athens Voices and OH+5, which feature local and regional artists, and organize and present curated and invitational exhibitions.
For a more in-depth look at the cultural events available at Ohio University, please visit the university’s Web site at www.ohio.edu/performingarts/ or visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/index.htm.
The university’s Athens-based radio stations, WOUB-AM and -FM, and the public television station, WOUB-TV, provide entertaining and educational programming for the university and the community. To visit the WOUB Web site, go to www.woub.org.
Special events in Dublin range from the Dublin Kiwanis Frog Jump to the Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Golf Tournament and Dublin Irish Festival. Dublin’s recreational programs and extensive parkland make it rich in both greenspace and leisure-time activities.
OU-HCOM Office of Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine coordinates student records, government, programs, activities and financial aid; academic support services; and multicultural affairs. Staff members in this office also handle registration of OU-HCOM students, equipment information, enrollment rosters, academic tutoring and coordination of OU-HCOM student employment. In-depth information relating to all of the above is available on the OU-HCOM Web page at www.oucom.ohiou.edu/saffairs, or by contacting Holly Jacobs, associate director of student affairs, at 800.444.2156 or via e-mail at jacobsh@ohio.edu. Policies and procedures for OU-HCOM students are published online in the Student Survival Manual by the Office of Student Affairs at www.oucom.ohiou.edu/saffairs/survival_manual.
Ohio University’s Student Handbook
The Dean of Students publishes an online handbook located at http://www.ohio.edu/students/handbook/index.cfm. Among many topics, the document contains a section describing community expectations at Ohio University. It details a number of university policies and positions, including, but not limited to, the student code of conduct, the university’s commitment to a just and diverse community, information on prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, a statement on sexual assault, and graduation and retention information. The Ohio University student Web site www.ohio.edu/students provides links to online services that include webmail, technical help and a ride board. There are links to campus life and services that include community services, counseling services and support, as well as graduate and non-traditional services.
Student and Professional Organizations
Since the inaugural class was enrolled at OU-HCOM in 1976, several organizations have been established within the student body. The umbrella for these organizations is the OU-HCOM Student Government, which is charged with official representation of all predoctoral students. The college provides base financial support for student-organized activities through the council, which establishes a budget for disbursal of funds. A list of OU-HCOM student organizations is available at www.oucom.ohiou.edu/StudentGov/organizations.htm.
Students on the Dublin campus will play an integral role in the college’s Student Government Association, and will work collaboratively when possible and separately when needed with a variety of student clubs and organizations also based on the Athens campus.
Crime Awareness and Campus Security
The Ohio University Police Department (OUPD) may be reached at 740.593.1911, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
When OUPD becomes aware of a crime that could pose an ongoing threat to the safety of the campus community, a Campus Crime Alert is e-mailed to all “ohio.edu” e-mail addresses on the Athens campus. Crime Alerts can also be found online, along with other useful information about crime prevention, personal safety and various campus resources, by visiting OUPD’s Web site at www.ohio.edu/police. The site includes a link to crime statistics for all of OU’s campuses.
In the event of an emergency which poses an imminent threat to the safety of the campus community, information is published online at www.ohio.edu/emergency and is broadcast via text message, e-mail, the outdoor emergency notification system and campus televisions connected to CATvision, among other means. Students must subscribe to the university’s emergency text messaging service in order to receive text notifications. Follow the text messaging link from the emergency Web site to sign up.
Dublin is recognized as one of the safest cities in central Ohio, with an average City of Dublin police response time of six minutes. The City’s internationally accredited police division keeps citizens involved and informed through programs like the neighborhood watch program, an early outdoor warning system and a computerized calling system that alerts residents to community concerns via phone. The Dublin campus is equipped with several emergency light/call box units and buildings can only be entered after hours with proper swipe card credentials.
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