Ohio Republicans introduced a bill to overhaul higher education, saying the changes are needed to curb liberal bias on university and college campuses.
“To be the best, we must be a meritocracy,” said Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, whose committee will review the bill starting next week. “We want Ohio’s students to be educated, not indoctrinated.”
More:Ohio GOP lawmakers want to eliminate DEI, ban faculty strikes at public universities
Professors and students protested the proposed legislation at the Statehouse on Wednesday, saying it would curb real debate over controversial topics.
“They say that they’re for intellectual diversity,” said Pranav Jani, president of the Ohio State University chapter of the American Association of University Professors. “They’re actually afraid of intellectual diversity.”
Public universities and colleges that don’t comply with the new rules could face losing state money used to run higher education institutions.
What’s in Ohio Senate Bill 1?
- Diversity, equity and inclusion ban: The bill would prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion in recruiting, training or offering new scholarships. There is a limited exception for research grants that require DEI.
- Ban on faculty strikes: Full-time faculty would be banned from striking during contract negotiations.
- Annual reviews and post-tenure reviews: The bill would require annual evaluations for faculty, including those with tenure. Feedback from students and peers would be included. Poor performance could lead to discipline or firing.
- No positions on “controversial beliefs:” Higher education institutions could not take a position on any “controversial belief or policy,” which is defined as climate policies, politics, foreign policy, DEI programs, immigration policy, marriage, abortion or “any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy.”
- Eliminate majors: Universities and colleges would eliminate any undergraduate degree program if fewer than five students have earned degrees over three years.
- More trustee power over retrenchment: Retrenchment is when a university eliminates or reduces a major or program, often because of low enrollment. The bill would give university trustees, who are appointed by the governor, more power to decide what happens to students and faculty when a program is eliminated.
- Online syllabi: Professors would be required to post their syllabi online for students, parents and the public to review.
- Required civics lesson: Students would be required to complete a three-credit hour course on American civics literacy to graduate. The course would review capitalism and documents like the U.S. Constitution and the Emancipation Proclamation.
- Shorten terms for university trustees: The bill would reduce the years a university trustee would serve from nine to six.
- Training for university trustees: University trustees would need to attend training on how to do their jobs and the current trends in higher education.
- More three-year degrees? The bill would require the Ohio Department of Higher Education to review whether more degrees can be completed in three years instead of four.
- Ban on gifts, new partnerships with China: The proposed law would prohibit universities and colleges from accepting donations and gifts from China. The bill would also prevent new or renewed partnerships with Chinese programs unless the university can prove it has specific safeguards in place.
- Five-year cost summary: Universities and colleges must provide lawmakers with a five-year summary of their costs as legislators consider their budgets.
Read Ohio SB 1
Jessie Balmert covers state government and politics for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.