Ohio University's "Update" on SB1 that greatly impacts higher education in Ohio
The notice keeps promising transparency in decision making but provides none.
The Ohio Senate today passed SB1 with the minor changes from the House. The bill is now on its way to the Governor. If signed by him, the bill will become effective 90 days after that date.
Today, Ohio University produced another "update." Yet, this statement below does not disclose the university's thinking or provide any transparency into the decision making process. It talks of transparency but provides none. I await your thoughts.
To our OHIO community,
Earlier today, the Ohio Senate voted to concur on Substitute Senate Bill 1: Advance Ohio Higher Education Act. The bill now moves to the Governor’s office for his consideration and signature. Upon the governor’s signature, the bill would become law.
As we shared in an update in February, these changes to Ohio state law would have a significant impact on University operations here at OHIO and at other public Universities across the state. We encourage members of our University community to read the legislation in full.
As indicated in an earlier message, Ohio University chose not to preempt the legislative process by making broad-sweeping changes before this legislation becomes law. Now, we must prepare to achieve compliance within the 90-day implementation period allowed by the state, following the Governor’s signature.
Any change, particularly the magnitude of change outlined in the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, often comes with disruption and discomfort for many members of our University community. We realize this semester has already had more than its fair share of change, including new directives from various federal agencies, and the next several weeks are going to be even more challenging as we review, assess and navigate the potential impacts of this bill. Our commitment to you is that we will make every effort to protect and advance student success even as we make changes that may impact the experiences of individuals across our University community.
Know that we are actively planning a variety of ways to share more information, field questions, gather ideas and input and keep you informed of decisions as they are made. As we continue our work to share details on next steps, we will also provide ways for you to engage in the dialogue.
Sincerely,
Lori Stewart Gonzalez
President
Two points President Gonzales, 1. you took preemptive action by “pausing” the OU Black Alumni Reunion, 2. I hope those ways to engage with you include a well publicized meeting time on April the 12th to discuss your decision.
Had you asked me a few years ago, would the leadership of Ohio University stand up to State or Federal policies that were innately racist, assaults on academic freedom, free speech and ultimately fascist in character, I would have believed it would. But Ohio, like post-secondary institutions across the country, some as powerful and prestigious as Colombia University, have quickly been brought to heel by forces that are best described as totalitarian in character. And so, in the same way that individual citizens across the US are organizing and gathering in unprecedented numbers to proclaim their resistance to the opponents of freedom and enemies of democracy, it now falls to the entire Ohio University Community to organize and act. Alumni will stop contributing to the University and make sure their decision and its reasons are widely known. Administrators who truly serve the interests of the institution and its students will individually find ways to subvert the policies that the State and Federal government are imposing which hinder the freedom of association, speech and interchange of ideas. Faculty worthy of their credentials and titles will refuse to comply with any attempts to dictate content, intent or instructional methods in their offices, classrooms and departments. And students, who indeed have the most at stake in this confrontation with the forces of bigotry, ignorance and repression, will call it what it is, and demonstrate in every possible way that Ohio University is not merely for them. Ohio University is them, it is theirs, and it is their legitimate obligation to defend it, by whatever means necessary.