Senate Bill 1 passed the Ohio House on Wednesday. The bill aims to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs in higher education, ban faculty strikes and introduce stricter evaluations for tenured professors.
One key provision of the bill mandates that the Ohio Chancellor of Higher Education, in consultation with state institutions, develops and delivers educational programs for university trustees.
These programs will focus on the duties and responsibilities of board members and include topics such as professional ethics, institutional finance, student welfare, and current higher education trends. New trustees must complete training within their first two years, and ongoing training will be required for current members.
The bill also prohibits universities from endorsing controversial political or social positions, limits DEI-based scholarships, and mandates the public posting of course syllabi. In addition, SB 1 bans donations from China to Ohio institutions.
Opposition to SB 1 is strong, with students, faculty and advocates warning that the bill stifles academic freedom and curtails intellectual diversity.
Despite protests, the bill passed the House by a 58-34 vote and will go to the Ohio Senate for final approval before it is sent to Gov. Mike DeWine, who is expected to sign the bill into law.
SB 1 also includes several provisions that have sparked protests across Ohio’s public universities. The bill will ban public employees from striking during contract negotiations, which could undermine collective bargaining rights.
Annual reviews are also required under SB 1 for all faculty, including those with tenure, and will incorporate student and peer evaluations, with poor performance potentially leading to disciplinary action or termination.
The bill also mandates that students complete a civics course focused on American history and governance to graduate, emphasizing documents like the U.S. Constitution and the Emancipation Proclamation. Universities will be required to post syllabi online, allowing the public to access course materials. Undergraduate programs with fewer than five graduates over three years may be eliminated.
Despite heavy criticism from faculty, students, and some lawmakers, Republican leaders insist that SB 1 is necessary to restore objectivity and meritocracy in higher education.
