The Undergraduate Student Government needs to do more to help make commuter students feel connected to Ohio State.
This is the goal of Juliana Lippus, one of USG's three commuter senators, who estimates OSU has 30,000 commuters.
"We feel like we're starting from scratch," she said. "Since fall quarter we have been brainstorming what needs to change."
Lippus, along with the two other USG commuter senators Zac Branstool and Katie Reis, is currently brainstorming ideas on how to make commuter students feel more involved with the university.
"If (the commuter senators) want to see changes made, they have the best opportunity to address those students' concerns," said Pete Steele, USG's vice president.
Steele said a portion of USG's winter budget has been allocated for a luncheon for transfer and commuter students, hosted by the Student Outreach Committee.
Lippus and Branstool's two main goals for the near future are to find out the concerns of commuter students and to improve upon the commuter lounge.
Branstool said he would like to set up information tables in the West Campus parking lot and pass out surveys and cups of hot chocolate to commuters.
Lippus said she is disappointed with the current commuter lounge. Since the destruction of the Ohio Union, the space that served as the former Long's Bookstore location has offered a makeshift study area for commuter students until the new union is complete. Comparing Long's to other campus commuter centers, Lippus said she feels the current lounge is too small and needs more computers.
"We still have two-and-a-half years until the new union is finished. We need to do something more," she said.
However, the senators are having trouble sidestepping some of the obstacles they face.
Their challenges stem in part from their inability to determine exactly which students commute. Lippus said the registrar's office is unable to distinguish between off-campus students and commuter students.
For example, students who report living on 16th Avenue could either be commuters or off-campus residents depending on which side of North 4th Street they live.
Lippus and Branstool said they are frustrated that OSU's Commuter Services is not in contact with USG. All three of USG's commuter senators are currently waiting to speak with the assistant director of Commuter Services before they carry out any of their initiatives, Lippus said.
As commuters themselves, Lippus and Branstool said they are aware of the issues their peers face.
"I did not know half of what was going on around campus," Branstool said.
Cara Shirley can be reached at shirley.34@osu.edu.
2008 Woodie Awards
Be the first to comment on this story