Reiterating OHIO's commitment to fostering a community of safety and well-being

The following message was shared with OHIO students, faculty and staff on the Athens Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Dear OHIO students, faculty and staff,

Yesterday evening, members of our Athens campus community received notifications from the Ohio University Police Department about an incident that occurred last night in Ewing House on OHIO’s South Green; we are thankful that no one was physically harmed. OUPD’s investigation is ongoing, and we encourage anyone with information regarding this matter to contact them at 740-593-1911, police@ohio.edu or by dialing 911.

In the event of an emergency, Ohio University uses a broad array of communications tools to get the word out as quickly as possible to as many as possible. Because safety is a shared responsibility, the University is now piloting the expansion of its emergency notification system on the Athens Campus to allow parents and families to receive OHIO Alert text notifications that contain critical updates when they matter most. We plan to add our non-residential Regional Higher Education and Extension Campus locations next year.

We also want to remind you that the University has resources and avenues to assist you anytime you need help processing stress or difficult situations. If you believe you would benefit from support for your psychological and emotional well-being, please consider the resources listed below.

For students:

OHIO offers a wide range of on- and off-campus well-being and counseling support options, including 24/7 emergency and crisis services support when needed.

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers same-day "drop-in hours” at Hudson Health Center (3rd floor) M-F between 9:45 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
• CPS also offers “Let's Talk” drop-in hours at the Living Learning Center (Room 160) between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., Sunday to Friday.

For employees:

OHIO’s Employee Assistance Program is available to provide private and confidential services free of charge, including counseling and referrals.

Moving forward together

As we all work together to keep our students and Bobcat community safe, we encourage you to continue to be aware of your surroundings, keep your doors and windows locked when you aren’t at home, and, most importantly, don’t hesitate to call 911 or OUPD directly when you witness suspicious activity – if you see something, say something.

Additional campus safety tips and resources are available at ohio.edu/safety/resources.