It's January of 2022. Covid-19 cases are exploding due to the Omicron variant. Some students feel uncomfortable going to in person classes. Some students still want to attend classes in-person. The administration has responded; classes will be in person, full capacity, and as the administration themselves has stated, they expect students to get sick. There are no plans to go online if the spread gets "bad enough". If someone gets sick, and the university runs out of quarantine housing, which they seem to expect, we are being told to pay for a hotel ourselves for the duration of quarantine. They have given no room for negotiation, no voice to concerned students, staff, or faculty, no plan for extreme rises in cases, and no alternatives. 

If you're a student, you paid to be here. You paid for an education and a future. Maybe you've been working towards your degree for years, and yet, you're now being given the choice to put your education on hold, at your expense, or come to school feeling unsafe. If you're faculty or staff, you've likely been presented with a choice: your career or your safety. These should not be our only choices.

The administration says they care about equality. They say they care about our safety. They say they're grateful to us for doing all we can. Maybe they should thank us with the educations we paid for and by not threatening the careers of our faculty and staff. Maybe they should show their gratitude by listening to all of us. 

If you agree and would like the option to choose to be online or in-person, please consider signing this petition. Whether you wish to be in person or online does not matter; this petition is about our community being listened to, given the voice we deserve, and given choices that don't threaten our futures or careers.

Let's make "together as buckeyes" more than just a platitude. Stay safe, love each other, and Godspeed.