A Republican-backed bill in the Ohio Senate that aims to stop diversity and equity training for faculty and students at state colleges and universities has been revised.
Senate Bill (SB) 83 known as the Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act introduced by State Senator Jerry Cirino, (R-Kirtland) would eliminate the need for professor, staff, or student participation in diversity, equity, or inclusion training or courses. It would also create transparency for all tasks and compulsory and suggested reading.
The legislation would also require intellectual diversity in college and university classrooms and among the faculty, free speech protections for students, faculty, and staff, and no political and ideological “litmus tests” in all hiring, promotion, and admission decisions.
Each state college or university would also have to create mission statements that include five concepts:
- It will educate students by means of free, open, and rigorous intellectual inquiry to seek the truth.
- Its duty is to equip students with the intellectual skills they need to reach their own, informed conclusions on matters of social and political importance.
- Its duty to ensure that no aspect of life, outside or within the classroom, requires, favors, disfavors or prohibits speech or action to support any political, social, or religious belief.
- Its commitment to create a community dedicated to an ethic of civil and free inquiry, which respects the autonomy of each member, supports individual capacities for growth, and tolerates the differences in opinion that naturally occur in higher education.
- Its duty is to treat all faculty, staff, and students as individuals, to hold them to equal standards, and to provide them equality of opportunity.
Furthermore, the legislation mandates that all higher education institutions in Ohio must disclose all donations from the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, the People’s Liberation Army, or any other outpost or associate of the People’s Republic of China.
Under the revisions, the proposed legislation would now only permit required diversity, equity, and inclusion training at universities in relation to grants, accreditation, and licensing. It makes it clear that the prohibition on business relationships with China does not apply to tuition payments made by Chinese students. Additionally, it states that no themes are prohibited but that teachers must permit the expression of intellectual diversity.
Additionally, the modified bill removes the rules for private colleges.
SB 83 still prohibits universities from publicly endorsing controversial causes; however, they can lobby lawmakers. The bill also still bans faculty members from striking.
According to Cirino, the revised bill will still accomplish his goals.
“The main pillar of this legislation has been allowing students to receive an education that contains a broad range of perspectives, discussion, debate, and ultimately, a true intellectual diversity,” Cirino said.
This bill expands on Cirino’s free speech bill SB 135 that Governor Mike DeWine signed into law last July. That bill included free speech protections for students concerned that expressing their opinions in class might hurt their grades.
“This bill will move us toward true academic freedom. We need students to be taught how to think, not what to think. Now, more than ever, it is vital to preserve the credibility and confidence in our state universities, four-year colleges, and community colleges, by making sure they are not straying from their core mission of education,” Sen. Cirino said.
SB 83 is under review in the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
