Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | January 12, 2021
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
Last night, a remarkable football season came to an end in the national championship game. I couldn’t be more proud of our team. Their accomplishments and perseverance throughout this most-challenging season are inspiring. Buckeye Nation is nothing if not resilient. We thank our team – the players, coaches and staff – who lifted us up, brought us together and gave us a lot to cheer about these past four months.
Spring classes are now underway and will be conducted virtually through January 22. Best of luck to all for a...
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | January 5, 2021
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
I hope you and your families had a safe and joyous holiday break. As we look ahead to 2021, our gratitude goes to those who led and persevered in the past challenging year. Buckeyes everywhere came together to protect and care for each other and their communities while living our values. Here’s to doing great things and building a better world in the year to come.
What a fabulous Sugar Bowl game! Our outstanding, talented and resilient squad of Buckeyes crushed an excellent Clemson team. It is...
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | December 22, 2020
COVID-19 vaccine administration at Ohio State will continue to focus on Wexner Medical Center front-line clinical staff and those most vulnerable to the virus as a national rollout continues. We will continue to protect ourselves and others in 2021 by following the same safe and healthy requirements that enabled us to complete the autumn semester on our campuses: wearing face masks, staying 6 feet apart, avoiding large gatherings, and practicing good hygiene.
As a reminder, we are currently planning for the first two weeks of spring semester classes – January 11-22 – to be...
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD President | December 15, 2020
With the autumn semester concluded, President Kristina M. Johnson shares her gratitude for the university community's remarkable efforts to combat COVID-19 and ensure that our mission to educate, make new discoveries and provide excellence in outreach and patient care has flourished in the face of great challenges.
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD President | December 1, 2020
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
I hope you had a safe and healthy Thanksgiving holiday. This week is the last for regularly scheduled classes in an autumn semester like no other in our university’s history.
My gratitude goes to you for your patience, flexibility and close adherence to our COVID-19 protocols . Wearing a mask, physically distancing, avoiding gatherings and practicing good hygiene are critically important even during periods of remote learning as we look to the spring and beyond. Please also continue to “homegate” when our football Buckeyes return to action this week against Michigan State....
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | November 19, 2020
Surging cases of COVID-19 across Ohio have prompted a statewide curfew, a stay-at-home advisory in the Columbus area, and the declaration that Franklin County has gone purple — reflecting “severe” exposure and spread of the virus.
This is a moment for every Buckeye to help turn the tide. To that end, the university is implementing these additional action steps:
Instruction: Effective Friday, November 20 at 6 p.m., in-person classes will be moved to online or other forms of remote instruction. Exceptions where in-person instruction is permitted include clinical programs conducted under approved safety protocols as well...
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | November 17, 2020
I want to express again my thanks and pride in our community as we collectively battle COVID-19. Your efforts to keep our campuses open this fall while learning, teaching, advancing research and scholarship, and caring for patients and their families have been extraordinary.
As students prepare to return home for the winter break, please remember the steps we are asking you to take. Get tested for COVID-19 early this week. If you obtain a negative result and are able to leave campus for the semester early, please do so and update your move-out time on the housing...
Dear Buckeyes: As we wrap up our final days on campus and look toward the holidays, I’d like to remind you of the critical role you play in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Most importantly, we know that household transmission is the primary way that this virus is infecting people. One night at a bar or party means that you can bring the virus home, where it can spread rapidly. You have the power to reduce infections, including among your loved ones who may risk severe illness, hospitalization and death. I cannot emphasize enough that what may be a symptom-free...
Kristina M. Johnson, PhD, President | November 15, 2020
Dear Ohio State Community:
As we approach the end of the semester, I would like to thank our students, faculty and staff for coming together to keep our campuses open this fall. It hasn’t been easy to follow all of the guidelines such as wearing a mask, staying physically distant and forgoing many of the activities and events that are part of the experience of being a Buckeye.
I am writing to you this Sunday to express both my appreciation for your efforts and support, and to share our campus-departure guidelines for the winter break. We provide these...
Dear Buckeye, For most of the semester, we have come together as a community to fight the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses. This becomes increasingly difficult as our statewide and local reported cases increase. If you take a look at our Ohio State COVID-19 dashboard, you will see our daily student positivity rates have quadrupled over the past two weeks. Every day on campus I see many students, staff and faculty members following the university’s safe and healthy requirements. Yet there is also behavior that is, quite frankly, irresponsible, disappointing and could be contributing to a rise in COVID-19...
