Sept. 2023 Department Debrief: Buckeye Link

September 20, 2023

Buckeye Link

To contact Buckeye Link: Call (614) 292-0300, visit help.osu.edu for knowledge articles on popular subjects or visit their website at https://buckeyelink.osu.edu/

Buckeye Link Frequently Asked Questions: https://contactbuckeyelink.osu.edu/faqs/

Department Debrief is a monthly article from the Parent and Family Relations office dedicated to helping family members and supporters better understand the services, opportunities and support offered by particular offices for students.

This month, our team met with the Buckeye Link office who helps families and their students navigate various matters from admissions all the way through graduation.

1.) If you were stuck in an elevator with an Ohio State family and had to give a 30-second elevator pitch to them about what the Buckeye Link office does, in order to get out of the elevator, what would you say?

Buckeye Link is the office students or family members would come to if they weren’t sure where else to go, Kelly Cottell, associate director of Buckeye Link said.

The Buckeye Link office and student website, however, are different things. The office is a place for students and families to get help with any university- or student-based questions by emailing, calling or visiting in person. The website contains information, links and materials on a variety of important Ohio State information for students such as financial aid, university deadlines and student class schedules. Each student additionally has a personal My Buckeye Link page where they are able to access their “Buckeye business.”

“We are the front line for Undergraduate Admissions, Orientation, Graduate and Professional Admissions, Student Financial Aid, Office of the University Bursar and Office of the University Registrar,” Cottell said.

Cottell said Buckeye Link is a place she encourages students to go to if they are confused on a university topic but don’t know where to acquire help on that specific question.

“At the very least, we can direct them to where they should go,” Cottell said.

The Buckeye Link office is there to help students and families, provide them with resources and provide them with any additional information that they need, Cottell said.

On a student’s personal Buckeye Link portal and website, Cottell said students can find to-do list items, their schedule, charges and upcoming payments that are due.

2.) Are there any upcoming dates or deadlines for parents, families and students to be aware of?

Cottell said she highly recommends all students, parents and families look for the academic and important dates calendar found on the Buckeye Link website. For those interested in planning past this academic year, the University Registrar’s website also has an academic calendar that displays a table of important dates through the 2030-2031 academic year.

“We post really relevant and timely reminders on buckeyelink.osu.edu, so it is a good place for families to check every now and then,” Cottell said.

On this website they can also find an academic calendar which shows a number of important dates that would be valuable for parents and families.

3.) What important resources are provided within a student’s My Buckeye Link page and what information regarding a student’s My Buckeye Link page do you feel parents and families in particular should be aware of?

There are a lot of very valuable tools available to a student through their My Buckeye Link page.

“All sorts of things can be done on that student portal,” Cottell said.

Cottell said the page is where students can provide permission for their parents and/or guardians to be able to speak to Buckeye Link through the Student Information Release Form. This release form must be completed by the student to grant permission to Buckeye Link to be able to speak to a third party.

The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects a student’s privacy and records, even if they are below the age of 18. As a result, FERPA requires students to fill out a release form that grants access of their academic information to any third party.

This release form can be accessed by the student on their My Buckeye Link page in the Personal Information section or by searching “Student Information Release” on buckeyelink.osu.edu. The student then fills out the form with the third party’s information and a negotiated access code with that third party. Buckeye Link will ask for this code from the third party to confirm they are the correct person on the form before releasing any student information, Cottell said.

Cottell said the three categories a student can grant a third-party access to on the release form include account, academic and financial aid information release.

Since families are often involved in the financial category, Cottell said she highly recommends students release this information. However, Cottell said she emphasizes it is up to the student whether they release such information to a third party or not.

Cottell said even if a student were to grant a third-party access to their academic records, Buckeye Link is not allowed to discuss grades and so students should not be hesitant about checking all three boxes.

“This includes a student’s grades and grade point averages,” Cottell said. “We don’t share those with anybody, even the student because the student already has access to that very easily in their My Buckeye Link page.” Rank and class schedules, however, are permitted topics to discuss.

Cottell said because parents do not have direct access to their students My Buckeye Link, the university puts a lot of responsibility for a student’s account on to the student.

“[Families] don’t have access to anything that is account specific unless the student has added them to that Student Information Release form,” Cottell said.

Cottell said Buckeye Link also has a website at buckeyelink.osu.edu where students can go to for a variety of support such job aids, a frequently asked questions page and an online chat called “BuckeyeBot.” The BuckeyeBot is a way for students and families to gain answers to trending or frequently asked questions, Cottell said.

“We have a lot of different ways that students can get their questions answered and they are all encompassed under the umbrella of Buckeye Link,” Cottell said.

Resources are provided to students through their personal My Buckeye Link page, the Buckeye Link office and the Buckeye Link website.

4.) Are there any resources Buckeye Link provides to parents and families in particular?

Buckeye Link provides multiple resources to parents and families, Cottell said. The Buckeye Link website is a great tool for parents to utilize.

On the Buckeye Link website, Cottell said there is an academic calendar that encompasses and highlights all important dates such as when the first day of classes begin and when fees are due.

“This is a really good tool for families because then they can reach out to their student and notify them of upcoming deadlines,” Cottell said.

Additionally, Cottell said Buckeye Link offers presentations to families on a variety of topics including how to read your statement of account, smart borrowing, optimizing dining options and more.

Cottell said Buckeye Link works to tailor these presentations to specific populations depending on the subject matter. They email relevant opportunities to parents listed on the FAFSA and sometimes, these presentations are made available online as well.

It is also important to be aware of bill and tuition payment information, Cottell said.

Buckeye Link does not directly send a bill to a student or their family. It is the responsibility of the student to access the bill and tuition information and send it to the necessary third party if needed, Cottell said.

“Again, we just put a lot of the responsibility of being a student on the student,” Cottell said.

Students have access to their financial aid, charges, payments and various due dates on their My Buckeye Link at any point, Cottell said.

Buckeye Link also sends students an email to notify them of when they have been awarded or a change has been made to their financial aid, providing instructions on how they can view that financial aid.

“We also send them an email when their bills are available which is usually about six weeks before the start of the semester,” Cottell said.

Cottell said Buckeye Link also sends students emails of when their registration period for next semester courses opens.

“It’s extremely important that students are checking their [Ohio State] email accounts because we email notifications of all those important things,” Cottell said.

5.) If you could offer one word of advice to parents and students to successfully succeed during their time here at Ohio State, what would you say?

Cottell said advice she would offer to parents, families and students is to ask a lot of questions and to not wait to ask them.

“If you are thinking of something, if you are contemplating something, ask us, call us or email us,” Cottell said. “Do not hesitate.”

Cottell said no questions are stupid. Buckeye Link works to make families comfortable and confident in their student’s success at Ohio State.

“We want them to know we are a great resource, and we are available,” Cottell said. “Don’t hesitate to ask us those questions because we want families to have peace of mind.”

Cottell said with a confident and welcoming smile that Buckeye Link is a place for questions from either parents, families or students.

Brooke Tacsar
Student Assistant
Parent and Family Relations