[Post date: Fall 2020]

OSU COVID-19 Dashboard Data
President Kristina Johnson announced in an email on August 11th: "In order to remain open this fall, we have to drive the COVID-19 positivity rate well below the current Franklin County rate of 5.5%, in order not to fill up the residence hall spaces and hospital beds available for quarantine, isolation and treatment. If we cannot reduce the rate of infection and hospitalizations, we will return to remote instruction and have to close residence halls." On August 28th, President Johnson announced that OSU'S COVID-19 dashboard would be "updated daily and include the total number of tests, student positive results and student positivity rate over the most recent available 24 hour-period, as well as a seven-day rolling average."

Move-in testing reports began August 14th.  Classes resumed August 25th.

OSU's Case Numbers a Month into Classes
One month after the beginning of classes, on September 24th, the number of students tested positive for COVID-19 infection was 2,739. ​

On September 25th in the New York Times tracking  of the number of cases at U.S. colleges and universities, Ohio ranked fourth in the nation. Among the 48 Ohio colleges and universities listed, OSU accounted for more than a third of all cases in the state.

Employee Tracking
The above data track students at OSU. There has been significantly less OSU (as opposed to non-OSU) testing among employees.  It is difficult to say from the OSU dashboard data how COVID-19 has been affecting OSU's non-student (faculty and staff) populations.

Testing Procedures
  • The method of testing is through saliva sample.
  • Students who live on campus or in university housing were tested when they moved in.
  • On-campus/university-housing students continue to take mandatory weekly tests.
  • Off-campus students are also tested on a weekly basis, using a random sample of 8,000 individuals.
  • Identified COVID-19 hotspots are subject to targeted testing.
  • Asymptomatic faculty, staff, and off-campus graduate and professional students have the option of voluntary testing.