Ohio, much like Florida, has become a solidly red state.

DEI offices shuttered, degrees cut, discussions tiptoed: What Senate Bill 1 changed in higher ed

Public colleges and universities across Ohio are reshaping academic programs, classroom discussions and campus policies as Senate Bill 1, a sweeping higher education law backed by Republican lawmakers, took effect amid protests, failed repeal efforts and growing concern among faculty and students.

The law, signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in March and largely effective in late June, applies to all of Ohio’s public universities and community colleges. It bans diversity, equity and inclusion programs, prohibits faculty strikes, and limits collective bargaining.

The bill requires faculty to be evaluated on whether they foster an environment of “intellectual diversity.” The bill requires post-tenure reviews.

Furthermore, SB 1 requires a new American civic literacy course, mandates the posting of course syllabi online and directs schools to eliminate undergraduate degree programs that average fewer than five graduates a year over any three-year period.

Supporters say the changes are needed as college enrollment declines and to counter what they describe as liberal “indoctrination” on campuses. Opponents argue the law undermines academic freedom, shared governance and unions, and could drive students and faculty out of the state.

A similar bill to SB 1 was introduced in 2023, but did not pass the full legislature.

It’s been quite a year, with all the twists and turns the bill took, SB 1 sponsor state Sen. Jerry Cirino, a Lake County Republican, said in a recent interview.

“I have to say, it was definitely well-worth all of the efforts and aggravation that it took to get that done,” he said. “I’m very pleased with a lot of the progress that we’re seeing by our 14 universities and 22 community colleges in terms of the implementation process.”

Cirino said he’s pleased to see that “a lot of the predictions that were made by opponents of the bill – that this was going to stifle free speech and academic freedom, and that students and faculty were going to leave Ohio in droves – none of that has occurred,” he continued. “We’ve seen some enrollment drops, but largely that’s due to demographics and the Trump administration’s push against foreign student acceptance.”

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