BV RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

Petitioning Office of Student Life at the Ohio State University

Alternative Housing for Buckeye Village Families at OSU

The Ohio State University does a great deal to ensure students' academic success as well as promote diversity and inclusion. However, those of us living in Buckeye Village Family Housing, a community with large numbers of international students and students of color, are facing a great deal of stress because we are unsure of where we will be able to live next year or if we will be able to afford to continue with our programs. The Office of Student Life first informed us at the end of the summer that there was lead contamination from plumbing in a number of our apartments.

Recently we were told that 18% of the units would be torn down this coming summer to expand the Athletic Department's facilities. Students in these apartments will be given the option to move to other University housing but have not been guaranteed reimbursement for their moving expenses. Many of us are deeply concerned about the health risks involved with living next to the units while they are torn down as they most likely have asbestos as well as other contaminants. Noise pollution may also be harmful to children and impede students from completing their work.

During meetings with OSU officials, we were unhelpfully told that if we can't wait for more concrete plans (when demolition will occur, health risks, how many additional buildings will be demolished, and whether or not the rest of us will be given the option of alternative university housing) that we are welcome to not renew our contracts and look for other apartments.

Graduate student stipends at OSU are lower than other Big 10 schools and the cost of living is higher, so paying higher rent elsewhere plus utilities would be extremely difficult. Many of us who are graduate students would not have chosen to attend OSU if we had known that subsidized family housing would no longer be an option. Furthermore, most of us in Buckeye Village are international students and cannot seek additional income elsewhere, nor are our spouses allowed to work.

Finally, while the Athletic Departments had advanced notice in order to weigh in on the development of these plans, Buckeye Village residents had no representation despite promises by senior OSU management to involve residents in the planning for the transition of OSU’s family housing. We were emailed about these plans just days before the Board of Trustees was to vote on this issue.

We demand that The Ohio State University take the following actions:

Short Term demands:

1) Delay of the construction until Summer 2018 in order to provide time for students to make informed decisions for their families and for the university to address their concerns.

2) If the point above cannot be met, relocate South BV residents far from the construction, either to the North BV area or other alternative housing at the same rate.

3) Guarantee the safety of the children living nearby the demolition and construction site at Buckeye Village and carefully consider and inform parents of risks to their health due to hazardous materials.

4) Reimburse families living in the buildings to be demolished for their moving expenses.

5) Improve transparency and communication about development plans that will affect student housing and livelihood.

Long Term demands:

1) Ensure that affordable university housing continues to be provided for OSU undergraduate and graduate students with families.

2) Form an ad hoc committee consisting of the residents’ representation; concerned students, faculties, and staff; pro bono lawyers, and other concerned parties in order to ensure the realization of the first long term demand.