Student Resources

Hello and welcome to all past, present, and future OPEEP students!

The various tabs below contain helpful information and resources for all OPEEP students. If you are an OSU student who is interested in taking an OPEEP course, please refer to the step-by-step directions below. For details on upcoming course offerings, refer to the OPEEP Courses page.


Ready to apply for an OPEEP course? Here are your next steps:

  1. Complete an OPEEP application and the course instructor will contact you via e-mail.
  2. Schedule a meeting (zoom/in-person) with the course instructor to go over basic information & expectations.
  3. Once you've obtained written Instructor Permission, contact your Academic Advisor so they can officially enroll you in the course.
  4. Schedule an IN-PERSON appointment with OPEEP staff to complete required paperwork. Your instructor will provide you specific details regarding completing your required paperwork.

Have a question or concern not addressed on this page? Take a look at the OPEEP FAQs page or reach out to a Program Coordinator (edgerton.31@osu.edu or cieskowski.1@osu.edu).


Enrollment Guide for Prospective Students

Ready to apply for an OPEEP course? 

  1. Student applies for the course via the online OPEEP application located on our course page.
  2. Student meets with the course instructor and obtains written Instructor Permission, then shares this with their Academic Advisor so they can be officially enrolled in the course.
  3. Student schedules an in-person appointment with OPEEP staff to complete required paperwork.
  4. Student's enrollment window opens --> Academic Advisor manually enrolls them in the course!

Once a student completes the application, the course instructor will reach out to schedule a brief introductory/informational meeting.

What is the Pre-Enrollment Meeting/Interview and why is it required?

We understand that the term "Interview" can feel intimidating, but students need not panic! These meetings are not intended to be formal interviews, per se. These meetings serve the following purposes: introduce instructors to students (and vice versa), discuss the student's interest in the course, as well as explaining basic rules and expectations to make sure the course is a good fit. They also provide an opportunity to address any questions or concerns the student may have about enrolling in the course. OPEEP instructors and staff are always happy to provide support, and have settled on this process for several key reasons:

  1. The project is grounded in Black feminism and prison abolition, with a deep commitment to practicing equity and radical inclusion. As part of OPEEP's efforts to create equitable educational experiences, both incarcerated students and campus students undergo similar application and interview processes prior to course enrollment.
  2. Ensuring that students are fully aware of all important requirements and guidelines, including: timely submission of required paperwork, knowledge of and adherence to OSU/OPEEP/ODRC rules, arrangement of transportation to the prison facility, as well as willingness to challenge ingrained assumptions about incarcerated folks.
  3. Written Instructor Permission is required to enroll in any OPEEP course (in part to ensure on-time submission of student paperwork to ODRC), and permission is only granted once a student has met with the instructor and both parties have agreed that the course is a good fit.

Once a student has obtained written Instructor Permission, they must forward this via e-mail to their Academic Advisor who can then officially enroll them in the course (once their enrollment window has opened).

***PLEASE NOTE: these meetings MUST occur in-person, as ODRC paperwork must be completed BY HAND and witness signatures are required.***

How to schedule an OPEEP paperwork meeting:

  • Your instructor will provide you with the appropriate contact information regarding completing your mandatory ODRC Volunteer Background Check paperwork. Please reach out to your instructor regarding scheduling and completing your paperwork with the appropriate OPEEP staff member!

 

Once a student has obtained written Instructor Permission and shared this with their Academic Advisor, they have met all the requirements for enrollment on their end! If students have any lingering questions or concerns, they should reach out to their Academic Advisor and/or an OPEEP Program Coordinators: Nicole Edgerton (edgerton.31@osu.edu) and/or Babette Cieskowski (cieskowski.1@osu.edu).

For a list of important dates and more general resources on undergraduate enrollment at Ohio State, visit the Registrar’s website here.

Resources for Current OPEEP Students

  • Use first names only: Using first names allows both you and your peers to maintain privacy, and it prevents campus students from searching your offense history. In OPEEP courses we believe you should be viewed based only on your interactions while in class and not for your past. Further, using first names only prevents students from contacting each other after completing the class. Do not provide your last name to others and do not ask others for their last names. Do not try to find out someone else’s last name, ever.  

 

  • No contact: Incarcerated students may not have contact with campus students, and vice versa, outside of class, not during the semester and not after the semester ends. Interactions between students should remain only within the learning environment during the semester. Never examine or explore another student’s personal history. Incarcerated students are not permitted to follow any campus student on social media or ask an outside person to follow a campus student on social media.  

 

  • No gift giving or accepting: We recognize that prisons are resource-deprived places, and we strive to do all that we can to provide you with the materials you need to succeed in class. You may not ask any other student to bring anything into the facility for you or ask them to contact anyone on your behalf. Campus students are not permitted to bring in anything for incarcerated students, and you are not allowed to gift anything to others. Examples include but are not limited to the following: pens, paper, books, suggested readings, personal notes or drawings, food, drinks, toiletries, etc. If you have suggestions for other readings relevant to course content, share those in class discussions. 

   

  • No giving or receiving letters or notes: All non-class, non-academic relationships or interactions between incarcerated and campus students are inappropriate and strictly prohibited. Exchanging notes, letters, social media accounts, or poems is prohibited to maintain respectful, professional relationships and the safety of all parties. If sharing written material between students is required for the course (for example, peer review of written assignments), the written material must first pass through the instructor of the course.  

 

  • No physical contact while in class: You may not physically interact with any of your peers while in class at any time, unless your instructor has informed you that the prison where your course is taking place allows handshakes. Absolutely no hugging is permitted at any time.  

 

  • No exchanging personal information: This includes (but is not limited to) last names, personal addresses, telephone numbers, prison ID numbers, case numbers, social media, or any other contact information.        

 

  • No inappropriate language and no flirtation: No sexually explicit or sexually suggestive language or gestures are allowed. You should never make comments or discuss students’ looks, bodies, or physical appearances, even if you think you are giving a compliment. Commenting on another person’s body is often a gesture of gender or sexual impropriety and is usually unwanted by the other person. Never ask another student to read a book or magazine or watch a film, TV show, or music video (in other words, ANYTHING) with romantic or sexual material, or you will be removed from the class. This act is an unwelcome flirtation and can even constitute gender or sexual harassment or “establishment” at the prison. As a violation of OSU’s non-discrimination policy, we take this rule very seriously, and you will be removed from class immediately and the infraction will be reported to all appropriate offices, including the prison facility.  

 

Remember, all students enrolled in OPEEP courses must also abide by the OSU Code of Student Conduct.

Resources for OPEEP Alumni

Finished taking an OPEEP class but want to stay in touch/up-to-date on the project? Here are some ways to stay in the loop:

  • Follow us on social media!
    • Follow OPEEP Instagram's page (@OPEEP_OSU) for updates on campus involvement, event participation, spotlights on staff, faculty & students, details on upcoming course offerings, activism & community outreach, and more!
    • Like and follow OPEEP's Facebook page!
  • Sign up for the OPEEP e-mail listserv to receive periodic updates on the project here.
  • Read the semi-monthly OPEEP Newsletter posted HERE on our website (can also be found by going to the website's Main Menu --> About --> Newsletter).

Have a more specific question/idea about involvement or outreach with OPEEP? Feel free to e-mail one of OPEEP's Program Coordinators Babette Cieskowski or Nicole Edgerton!

The Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network (FICGN) is a network of college graduates who have been to prison. It includes people from various educational backgrounds (AA to JD/Ph.D./EdD) and career paths. The network aims to build collective power through professional development, networking, sharing opportunities, and highlighting accomplishments as well as offering general academic and career support. Members connect and share stories privately and publicly to change the social narrative surrounding incarceration, lessen stigma, and create hope for those reentering. FICGN also works to promote public policies that aim to lessen the many lifelong burdens faced by those with felony backgrounds. ​

*More resources specifically for formerly incarcerated OPEEP students will appear here soon!

“As a classroom community, our capacity to generate excitement is deeply affected by our interest in one another, in hearing one another’s voices, in recognizing one another’s presence.” ― bell hooks, Teaching To Transgress