Credit: Christian Harsa | Asst. Photo Editor
Owen Milnes, Mary Kidwell, Jessica Langer and Jessica Orozco contributed reporting.
At Ohio State’s first in-person commencement since the start of the pandemic, all attendees will be required to wear a mask and all graduates must bring proof of a negative COVID-19 test completed during the prior week.
In an email sent to graduates Thursday, the Office of Commencement and Special Events said the university partnered with state and local officials to ensure the health and safety of all graduates and guests — these measures include mandatory face masks, physical distancing, a negative COVID-19 test for graduates in the week leading up to the May 9 ceremony and showing a green status from their daily health check on the Ohio State mobile app.
Attendees who do not comply with the guidelines will not be granted entry to the ceremony.
According to the email, attendees must wear either a fabric or disposable surgical-style mask both indoors and outdoors on campus and for the duration of commencement. Bandanas, scarves, gaiters, buffs and other face coverings will not be accepted.
According to the email, attendees unable to wear a mask must complete a disability needs request form to discuss an alternative. The form must be completed one to two weeks before commencement.
Tickets will be required for everyone who attends spring commencement and graduates must arrive with their guests at the entry gate designated on their ticket, according to the email. They must remain seated in their assigned seating pod, distanced 6 feet apart from other pods, for the length of the ceremony.
Graduates must show a green status from their Daily Health Check on either the Ohio State app or compass.osu.edu on graduation day, according to the email. The app will show a green status if graduates have completed their daily health check that morning and have tested negative for COVID-19 the week of May 3.
All graduates, including staff members who are graduating, are required to complete a COVID-19 test during the week of May 3 and bring proof of the negative test to Ohio Stadium on the day of commencement in order to participate in the ceremony, according to the email.
Testing is scheduled using MyChart, and a detailed instruction guide is available on the Wexner Medical Center website, according to the email. Graduates must visit one of the regional campus testing locations, as well as the Jesse Owens North Recreation Center.
Graduates who filed a virtual learning exemption for spring semester are required to have a negative test from the week of May 3, according to the email.
Graduates who have had the coronavirus in the past 90 days are not required to test and graduates who test positive will not be allowed to attend commencement, according to the email. If a graduate tests positive, they will be contacted by someone from the Ohio State Case Investigation and Contact Tracing Team with isolation instructions.
More information can be found here.
