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) or privately owned rentals (apartments, houses or mobile homes).
- In Athens, Dublin and Cleveland - privately owned rentals (apartments, houses or mobile homes), or condominium, 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 property owners 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 www.ohio.edu/medicine/admissions/accepted/housing.cfm.
Food Service
A variety of meal plan options are available to Athens students through Ohio’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 meal plan contract. More in-depth information about Ohio University’s food service is available at www.ohio.edu/food.
The Dublin campus features the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Society of Alumni and Friends Bobcat Way Cafe’, operated by Ohio University Culinary Services, where students may purchase freshly made bistro items such as soups, salads and sandwiches.
The Cleveland campus features a café onsite, operated by Aramark 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.ohio.edu/transportation-parking/campus-parking/commuters.
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.
The Dublin campus has an open, general parking model throughout the site. Parking permits are not required. Heritage College, Dublin students are encouraged to utilize the parking lot in front of Medical Education Building 1 (MEB1), the main instruction facility at the campus.
A parking permit is not required for Cleveland students. There will be designated parking areas at the Cleveland campus for Heritage College students. Information will be emailed to students before they arrive on campus.
Student Health Insurance
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 www.ohio.edu/medicine/community-health/campus-care/billing.cfm 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. Once on this page enter “Ohio University”. 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 plan 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.ohio.edu/medicine/community-health/campus-care/.
In Dublin, students may choose from any number of local healthcare providers for preventative and emergency care. Dublin Methodist Hospital, an OhioHealth Urgent Care, and many primary care offices are located just over a mile away from campus.
With the Heritage College’s major affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland campus students will be encouraged to utilize the services of the Cleveland Clinic located throughout the Greater Cleveland area. The Cleveland Clinic online Physician locator can also assist a student in identifying a physician close to their residence and one who meets their personal needs. The Cleveland Clinic offers same day appointments for anyone by calling 216.444.CARE before noon. If the call is after noon, an appointment for the next day will be offered.
For prompt treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, students can access Cleveland Clinic’s Express Care, HealthSpot and Urgent Care locations. In addition, the Cleveland campus students will have direct access to establishing care with a primary care physician and/or specialist. Students will have a designated number to call Monday through Friday to access this service.
Counseling and Psychological Services
In Athens, Ohio University operates Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) (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 Ohio 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 and Cleveland 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 campus training sites utilize services of professionals recommended through their Assistant Dean and Academic Program 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, 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 is able to provide services for educational sessions on depression, anxiety, grief counseling, etc.
Through a memorandum of understanding, Highland Springs and PsychBC are the preferred behavioral health providers for the Cleveland Campus. Both providers are a short drive from campus and offer a warm, caring environment in a private setting. Students have access to Highland Springs services 24/7 for immediate intake/assessment. As a preferred provider for ongoing behavioral health services, PsychBC offers a variety of services such as assessment, individual therapy, couples therapy and medication management. A variety of insurance plans are accepted at the facilities and students are encouraged to check with each provider before securing services.
In addition, there are various area agencies that offer a wide variety of confidential and psychological services including individual counseling, group counseling, drop-in/emergency services, consultation, psychiatric consultation, eating disorders/body image, medical withdrawal, emergency consultation, and psychiatric services. Before visiting any of the following locations, students should first call to ask about accepted insurance plans, income based sliding-scale fee structures, and availability of services sought.
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 Ohio’s intercollegiate sports activities, please visit 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.
Dublin students are given the opportunity to establish a membership with the Dublin Community Recreation Center, engage with recreational team sports, and participate in a student-led wellness speaker series, all at no additional cost over and above normal student fees. The Dublin campus also maintains two gym areas featuring cardio equipment, free weights, and other fitness equipment and showers in the anatomy lab building for use by students, faculty and staff.
The City of Dublin takes great measures to sustain and improve the quality of life for its 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 residents to enjoy. With more than 100 miles of bike paths and 56 parks, Dublin has been recognized nationally as one of the best places to live. A complete listing of recreation opportunities for Dublin students can be found at http://dublinohiousa.gov/recreation-services/.
The Cleveland Campus has areas dedicated to student recreation and wellness. Those areas include one multi-purpose room for yoga, cardio equipment, free weights and other fitness equipment. Students also have the option to enroll in Life Time Fitness Center at no additional cost. The fitness and well-being of the students is a top priority and there are many fitness and wellness programming opportunities planned.
Cleveland, Ohio is served by the Cleveland Metroparks. The Metroparks are located within a 15 minute ride of every county resident and boast 300 miles of all-purpose hiking, biking, and bridle trails with 14 miles of lakefront. Also included in the Cleveland Metroparks are eight golf courses and one nationally acclaimed zoo.
Cultural Events and Entertainment
Ohio University and the Athens community ensure that Ohio 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 Ohio 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/.
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.
With the Heritage College’s presence in the Central Ohio area, students draw connection to the arts, entertainment, culture and community engagement opportunities that surround the campus within the City of Dublin and Greater Columbus. Students have additionally taken part in experiencing the community offerings of Worthington, German Village and the Short North.
Special events in Dublin range from the Dublin Irish Festival to the Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Golf Tournament and Dublin Kiwanis Frog Jump. Dublin’s recreational programs and extensive parkland make it rich in both greenspace and leisure-time activities.
Cleveland, Ohio is home to Playhouse Square, the largest theatre district in America outside of New York. It includes 10 performance spaces and a 20-foot tall, 8,500-pound crystal GE Chandelier. The University Circle neighborhood includes the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Cleveland Children’s Museum, the Cleveland Natural History Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a popular musical destination as well as over 20 other concert venues. Many festivals and events throughout the year showcase Cleveland’s rich cultural history and dedication to the arts.
Heritage College 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 Heritage College students, enrollment rosters, academic tutoring and coordination of Heritage College student employment. In-depth information relating to all of the above is available on the Heritage College web page at www.ohio.edu/medicine/about/offices/student-affairs/, or by contacting Marie Barone, Senior Director of Student Affairs, at 800.444.2156 or via e-mail at baronem@ohio.edu. Policies and procedures for Heritage College students are published online in the Student Survival Manual by the Office of Student Affairs at www.ohio.edu/medicine/admissions/accepted/survival-manual/index.cfm.
Ohio University’s Student Code of Conduct
The Dean of Students publishes an online code of conduct located at www.ohio.edu/student-affairs/community-standards/students/student-code-of-conduct. Among many topics, the document contains a section describing community expectations at Ohio University. It details a number of university policies and procedures, 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 Heritage College in 1976, several organizations have been established within the student body. The umbrella for these organizations is the Heritage College Student Government, which is charged with official representation of all predoctoral students. A list of Heritage College student organizations is available at www.ohio.edu/medicine/about/offices/student-affairs/student-government/index.cfm.
Students on the Dublin and Cleveland campuses will play an integral role in the college’s Student Government Association, and work collaboratively when possible and separately when needed with a variety of student clubs and organizations.
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. A 24 hour-per-day, 7 day-per-week unarmed security presence actively monitors all campus facilities and grounds on the Dublin Campus. Through active foot patrols and building presence, uniformed security personnel provide first response, prompt notification and documentation of reported campus incidents. Site officers actively maintain a security services front desk, monitoring of campus blue light emergency phones and response to a central reporting phone line (614.309.9371) to ensure accessibility to campus constituents. After hours and weekend entrance to Dublin Campus facilities can be gained through use of exterior card access readers located at each Heritage College Dublin main entrance utilizing credentialed privileges found on issued Ohio University ID badges. Badges should additionally be worn and easily visible as a means of recognizable identification to security and college personnel.
Cleveland Clinic Police Department and Universal Protection Service are responsible for regular patrol of the Ohio University Heritage College Cleveland facilities and associated parking lots and the overall safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors. Additionally, a Universal Protection Service Security Officer will be assigned to the lobby of the A building (Heritage College Cleveland entrance area), Monday through Friday, 8am-4pm and will round with Heritage College Cleveland staff and patrol all floors regularly. Entrance doors to the Heritage College Cleveland facility will be locked down by Security during hours designated by Security. Students, faculty and staff desiring entrance after hours will enter the facility via the designated card access controlled pedestrian door. Additionally, they will contact Security to advise them of the reason for their visit, the specific area they are visiting, the estimated time they will be in the facility and then call Security when departing. Badges should additionally be worn and easily visible as a means of recognizable identification to security and college personnel.
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