About Ohio University
What is Ohio University?
Ohio University is a four-year public research university in Athens, Ohio, and the oldest in the state. Its own history records that "in 1803, Ohio became a state and on February 18, 1804, the Ohio General Assembly passed an act establishing 'The Ohio University'," which then "opened in 1808 with one building, three students, and one professor." Today it describes itself as "a four-year public institution located in Athens, Ohio (in addition to 5 regional campuses across the state)" teaching "more than 29,000 students across all campuses and online." Staff roles span academic departments, research, libraries, IT, finance, facilities, student services and administration. It is a separate institution from Ohio State University.
Where will I work?
The main campus is in Athens, with regional campuses at Chillicothe, Eastern, Lancaster, Southern and Zanesville, plus OHIO Online. Location flexibility runs through OHIO FlexWork, a workplace model "that enables flexibility, adapts to evolving team and university needs, optimizes collaborative work while respecting the need for focused individual effort, and seamlessly integrates our virtual and physical environments." Policy 40.063 defines both "Remote Work" — "working at their home, or in some other place that is not Ohio university's usual place of business" — and "Hybrid Work." On campus, "University FlexSpaces" provide "private, semi-private, and open workstations" for staff to drop into.
What is the Ohio University team like?
Staff are split across administrators, classified employees (including the AFSCME 1699 and AFSCME 3200 bargaining units), faculty and student employees, so terms vary by group and by collective bargaining agreement. The University runs a Center for Employee Excellence with a professional development catalogue, and publishes a Total Compensation Estimator that job ads point applicants to: "salary plus university paid benefits including health coverage, retirement contributions, paid time off, tuition benefits, and more."
Work-Life Balance
Ohio University publishes a signed, dated flexible-work policy — 40.063, "Flexible Work Schedule, Flexible Hours, and Flexplace for Administrators and Classified Employees," effective 26 February 2025. It opens: "As a matter of work-life balance Ohio university provides flexible work schedules, flexible hours, and flexible work location options." Schedules "that maintain coverage during university core hours may include such options as a compressed work week (for example, four ten-hour days, four nine-hour days and one four-hour day, etc.)." This is compressed hours, not reduced hours, and the policy is explicit: "Flexible work schedules will not reduce the number of hours required to be worked by an employee. For example, a full-time employee will be required to work forty hours in a work week." Flex options need supervisor and planning-unit approval, and "the university is not obligated to approve a proposal for a flexible work arrangement for any employee." Twelve-month administrative appointments earn vacation "up to a maximum of twenty-two (22) days per fiscal year," on top of eleven observed holidays and a winter break closure "from December 25 through January 1 each year."
Perks and Benefits
- Eleven observed holidays plus a Dec 25 to Jan 1 closure
- State of Ohio pension: OPERS, STRS or ARP
- Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO medical plan
- Dental, orthodontia and vision coverage
- Free basic life cover: 2.5x salary up to $50,000
- EAP with confidential 24/7 support via AllOne Health
- $5,000 adoption assistance benefit (Policy 40.075)
- Tuition fee waiver for staff and qualified dependents