An Intimate Observation of the Ohio State University Area Commission

Seth Golding had had enough. He had been a student at Ohio State University. He had lived in the campus area as an undergraduate.

He had witnessed the parties and the boisterous late-night antics of young Buckeyes.

This was just one of the issues that the University Area Commission discussed on Wednesday October 18.

The Commission, made of up 19 members in all, represents the group that oversees the surrounding off-campus residential area of Ohio State known the University District.

Ian MacConnell, president of the UAC, stated prior to the meeting that a number of the board members were "anti-student," dating back to the emergence of the South Campus Gateway project. MacConnell also mentioned roughly half of the Commission sees students as "a problem to be dealt with."

Now Golding, more than 10 years later as a husband, young father and perceivably ornery at the mention of current OSU partiers, took a stand as the current University Area Commission treasurer and designated concerned neighbor within the campus community.

As Columbus police officer Larry Geis took to the wooden podium in the pink-and-lavender-hued room, he began to address issues of neighborhood patrols, but not before Golding could shout his displeasure with the partying OSU students at the bars on North Campus.

Golding cited that yelling and inappropriate acts of vandalism were commonplace near his residence, notably from the guests of Miani's Bar & Grill and Ledo's Lounge-two bars whose liquor license renewals drew the objection of the UAC. Inevitably, fellow Columbus police officer Andy Baumann then mentioned that the former of the establishments had police task forces assigned to it to curb underage drinking and other violations.

Golding then apologized to Officer Geis for OSU President Karen Holbrook's apparent "lack of touch" with the University Area (in particularly the Northwest District of the area), as Geis nodded in agreement with his comments. Geis also mentioned how she made "disparaging remarks" about the Columbus Police Department in regards to Golding's concern with underage drinking.