Friday, December 6th 2:30-3:30
Outside Drinko Hall, OSU Campus
Media Contacts:Contacts: Dylan Roderick dylan.j.roderick@gmail.com (217) 714-8547 Bianca Davis alexandra.davis107@gmail.com, (614) 549-2916
OSU Students and families of Buckeye Village will rally outside of Drinko Hall to demand President Drake and the Board of OSU not demolish the only student family housing on OSU campus. "This fight is about the future, our future, our children's future, the future for the institution of family, the future of community." - Rhonda Michelle (Buckeye Village Resident)

Given the OSU’s administration history of putting profit over the needs of students, faculty and staff (Campus Parc) the students rallying December 6 are demanding that the university commit the being the accessible public resource a flagship university is meant to be and not a vehicle for private profit. “By closing Buckeye Village without alternatives, OSU is pushing families and struggling students out of the community and higher education." -Bianca Davis

The protest,will march to the Council of Graduate Students at Blackburn house and rally outside while president Drake addresses the CGS. At the CGS address, president Drake will take questions from the public and Buckeye Village families plan to enter and question Drake as to the closure of their homes and deliver a petition with hundreds of signatures with the demands:

1) Stop the demolition of Buckeye Village and eviction of student families until a suitable, permanent replacement family housing solution is developed.
2) Reopen applications to the intentionally vacant Buckeye Village units.
3) Expands and operates new family housing with no loss of services.
4) Stop the privatization of student housing.

Background: The administration announced on October 28, 2019 to close the only their only family housing unit to continue the expansion of the athletic fields off of Olentangy River Road. If the residents choose to move to University Village, the administration has promised the residents of Buckeye Village that the university will subsidize their rent to the current rate they pay at Buckeye Village for two years. This fails to maintain the total cost of housing paid for by the residents, which includes internet, garbage, and some utilities in their rent, furthermore the residents would be cut off from quick access to the CABS bus system, from walkable access to the OSU run daycare system and from community developed around the needs of working families with children.

Given the generally low wages of jobs accessible to students, especially students with families and foreign students (who make up the majority of Buckeye Village residents), any increase in the total cost of living hurts double. This event is organized by a coalition, including Buckeye Village Residents, OSU Young Democratic Socialist of America (YDSA), Columbus Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and Columbus Revolutionary Socialists (CORS).