The Ohio State University has millions of visitors annually. Some may be less or unfamiliar with our campuses as well as the Columbus and central Ohio area.
The university’s campuses are continuously evolving. A uniform signage and wayfinding system create a consistent experience and provides clear, legible and understandable directional information to help everyone physically navigating to, and about, Ohio State campuses.
The university’s Standard Signage Committee (USSC), chaired by the university’s signage coordinator, is responsible for ensuring that the university’s signage standards meet the continuously evolving needs of Ohio State’s campuses.
Committee Responsibilities
The Standard Signage Committee has the authority to review, advise on and approve standard signage—inclusive of the medical center and regional campuses. The committee responsibilities include:
- Ensuring standard signage requests that are not submitted through proper form or channels are directed to the appropriate workstreams for review and/or implementation.
- Supporting the university signage coordinator and the medical center wayfinding managers with review and guidance of variances to standard signage.
- Reviewing formally presented vs. standard signage variance appeals for final decision.
- Maintaining the University Signage Standards (USS) through:
- Annually reviewing of the standards.
- Identifying modifications or updates needed.
- Considering requests and recommendations for updates.
The committee will coordinate with other campus units as needed relative to various aspects of signage requests and needs, including but not limited to: Public Safety, Transportation and Traffic Management, CampusParc, Advancement Donor Experience, Student Life, Athletics, etc.
Non-standard signage that falls outside of the current university signage standards will be redirected to the Non-standard Signage, Objects and Memorials Committee.
Any requests including public art will be coordinated with the Committee for Public Art.
Standard Signage Request Appeals Process
All standard signage requests are to be submitted via the Standard Signage Request Form.
When requests are received that deviate from signage standards, the requests are reviewed by the university signage coordinator and/or medical center wayfinding manager via a building design standards adjudication meeting. If the requesting entity finds the decision of the adjudication unsatisfactory and desires to appeal all or part of the USC’s decision or recommendations, a written appeal may be submitted. The written appeal will be elevated and issued to the Standard Signage Committee who will:
- Review and discuss all formally presented appeals. Based on review and discussion, the committee will pronounce final arbitration.
- The decision taken by the Standard Signage Committee will be final and cannot be further appealed.
- Shall a variance be granted, it will not constitute precedent for future or similar signage deviation requests.
Committee Members
Chair
University Signage Coordinator
Facilities Operations and Development (FOD)
Members
Wexner Medical Center Wayfinding Managers
Wexner Medical Center (WMC)
University Landscape Architect
Planning, Architecture and Real Estate (PARE)
University Architect
Planning, Architecture and Real Estate (PARE)
Framework plan representative
Planning, Architecture and Real Estate (PARE)
Brand representative
Office of Marketing and Communications
Administrative naming guide representative
Planning, Architecture and Real Estate (PARE)