Activism
Advocating for yourself and others is one important way we can make The Ohio State University more accessible for everyone, but you don’t always know who to contact or how to go about doing so. Activism and advocacy can be nerve-wracking even on small scales, but it does make a difference. We hope this page makes it easier!
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How to Contact People at Ohio State
The easiest and most effective way to contact decision makers and those in positions of authority at Ohio State is through email. And while it may take more time, a well-written and well-formatted email makes a big difference in how effective it is.
Emails have certain “professional standards” that many people in positions of authority take very seriously. Some of these standards may be ableist, classist, or otherwise problematic, but performing professionalism can make personal advocacy and entire movements more successful.
These standards include
- Using punctuation, capitalizing proper nouns and the first letter in each sentence, and breaking up paragraphs that deal with different main topics
- Using a greeting and sign off (“Dear Name” and “Best Regards”)
- Using Standard American English spellings and grammar (this may conflict with the dialect you and/or your family speak in conversation)
- Not using obscene or offensive language
- Being “respectful” – this includes using someone’s given title (Ms., Dr., etc.), explaining yourself in a calm and collected manner, and not calling people rude names
- Avoiding pointing fingers or making people feel bad. This is especially important in advocacy and complaint emails because it may make some people less responsive and less likely to take you seriously.
Note: if you want to complain about issues without these constraints and standards, talking to a friend, family member, or therapist might help. We also encourage rants in the Buckeyes for Accessibility group chat, though we do not allow actual harassment or name calling.
Example of an Advocacy Email
This is an example of an email based on a real issue: insufficient snow removal on some parts of Ohio State’s campus, which can make campus much less accessible or completely inaccessible to many Disabled students.
Hi *Name*,
My name is Alex Poling, and I’m an Ohio State student. I’m contacting you because there is a large amount of snow and ice on the sidewalks and parking lot around the Heffner Building at the Ohio State Wetlands Research Park. That area is not controlled by CampusParc, so I think Facilities Operations and Development is responsible for it, and that’s why I’m contacting you.
I have a class at the Wetlands on Wednesdays and Fridays, and I’m also a Disabled student with mobility issues. The snow and ice on the sidewalks and parking lot made it very difficult and dangerous for me to get to class today. I’m worried that it might still be bad when I need to go to class in a couple days.
I would really appreciate it if your team could take care of the snow and ice as soon as possible. I know there are other classes at the Wetlands tomorrow, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt.
Thank you,
Alex Poling
Email Template
You are always welcome to use this email template to get you started. You may want to alter this structure depending on the issue and your goals. You may also want to have someone else read the email before you send it to ensure that it communicates the tone and message you want to convey.
Dear/Hi *Name of the person you want to contact, including any honorary titles*,
My name is *Your Name*, and I’m a *your role* at Ohio State. I’m contacting you because *explanation of the problem*.
*Further explain the problem or your personal experience/connection to it.*
I would appreciate it if you could *explain what you what this person to do in response to this problem*. *If this issue is time sensitive, emphasize that here.*
Thank you,
*Your Name*
Who To Contact
Report ableism/discrimination here: https://accessibility.osu.edu/access-concerns-form/