Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday signed the controversial higher education bill known as Senate Bill 1, forcing the state’s public colleges and universities to make big changes on campuses and in the classrooms.
The law ends diversity, equity and inclusion (or DEI) programming as well as faculty members’ right to go on strike.
Though the governor’s office didn’t issue any accompanying comments about the bill, he did pose with a broad smile holding the bill, flanked by five lawmakers, including the bill’s author State Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland.
Lawmakers argued the law is needed to end what they claim is a liberal bias on college campuses. Students and faculty, which organized rallies and testified before lawmakers, said the bill would cut schools’ independence and leave some students marginalized.
The law is set to go into effect roughly three months from today.
Faculty union said they’ll consider “the possibility of litigation”
The outcome was expected. DeWine had already indicated he would support the bill, despite calls from student advocates and others asking for him to veto it.
Even before Friday’s signing, leaders at the state’s faculty union had already planned an April virtual event with members to discuss the legislation’s implementation.
Members of the Ohio AAUP said in a March 20 news release they “will be having conversations with allied groups about the possibility of litigation on particular pieces of the law.”