An unofficial Web site has been created by Ohio State students for Ohio State students at osuweb.com.
Anthony Cornell, a senior in chemical engineering, started the site as an open forum for students.
“We needed to open the lines of communication at the school,” Cornell said.
Cornell saw similar sites at other colleges. He implemented the Web site with the help of friends at Drexel University in Philadelphia. The Drexel students are using a server that hosts one of their own personal sites and are doing all the programming until Cornell can find OSU students to help out.
Brian Lavash, a sophomore in medical engineering, and Jake Borowski, a junior in management information systems, have been a part of Cornell’s crusade since the beginning.
“I was just sitting around with Tony one day and he was telling me about his idea,” Lavash said. “We just wanted to connect the people at OSU more.”
Message boards on the site serve as a quick way for students to communicate. People are posting cars for sale to “Campus Partners: Helpers or Haters?” discussions. The site also includes a calendar for students to list any type of event. Concerts and parties seem to be the most frequent, and there is a section to post pictures.
The prominent feature on the site is the OSU faculty rating system, where students can rate and compare professors.
“In think from a student’s point of view it’s a credible source,” said Adam Burke, a senior in political science. “The only controversy might be when professors log on.”
Features for the site that are under construction are a book swap that allows students to buy, sell or trade, and a matchmaker service will soon be added.
“We want to make matchmaker a university-wide dating service,” Cornell said.
This feature will include information about students such as age, sexual preference and interests.
The three male students who started the site have several plans for additions. Cornell, Lavash and Borowski are considering a “Hot or Not?” section, a local music page and a feature/profile page. They are also attempting to get a server that can handle streaming video.
However, Cornell needs more manpower to run the site.
“We need help and input,” Cornell said. “We need stories, people that want to program, bars to send us local drink specials, event listings – you name it, we need it.”
The number of students viewing the site is quickly rising. It is receiving approximately 15,000 page views daily and has more than 260 registered users.
The creators of the site have been trying to solicit the site by sending out e-mails to students.
“People need to know about this. It’s helpful and you get to know people around the university,” Lavash said.
The site is not affiliated with the university and is accompanied by a disclaimer. So far, the site has not experienced any resistance from OSU.
“We don’t want people to think this is the opinion of Ohio State, but just because you don’t agree with the school doesn’t mean you can’t say what you want,” Cornell said.
Pictures of paraphernalia and campus keg parties are posted easily in the uncensored environment.
“I don’t think promoting sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll will be at all helpful to the university,” said Elizabeth Conlisk, spokeswoman for OSU.
Slight censorship may be used to ensure that discriminatory comments and slander are avoided, but freedom of speech is encouraged, Cornell said.
The site is free to anyone with a e-mail address under the OSU domain. Students from other colleges and universities may join for a $3 charge.
“We want to keep this exclusive to OSU. The only way we can keep this site up is if people participate and provide input,” Cornell said.
