Senator Cirino Highlights Success of 1st Year of The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act

Education rather than indoctrination.

A three-year policy fight spanning two General Assemblies finally resulted in the beginning of real reforms for Ohio's Public Universities.

Senator Jerry Cirino sponsored the original legislation, SB 83, that later led to the passage of SB 1 last year. The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act represents the beginning of increased enrollment, the protection of free speech on campuses, and the end of the movement to the far-left that chilled speech, affected faculty hiring, and cost millions of dollars for administrative-heavy and biased DEI programs.

Watch Senator Cirino's news conference from the Harding Press Room.

The false fears spread by some radicalized faculty and students evaporated into a brighter future of higher education brought through the changes of Senate Bill 1.

"Somewhere along the way, the universities went woke," said Senator Cirino. "Through SB1, we've empowered the trustees to make the changes necessary to ensure that a college degree means qualified and ready to work rather than indoctrinated ideology."

The bill also brings savings by requiring that colleges eliminate majors that produce less than five degrees over three years.

"Often, this course work can be found in classes offered elsewhere as part of other majors," said Senator Cirino. "We have to make sure that as enrollment grows, we don't allow tuition to grow out of control. The bottom line is there has to be value to the student and to their potential employer."

The Ohio Senate was also able to include funding in the prior budget to fund five Centers of Civics and Government. The mission is to encourage professional and civil debate, diversity of thought, and deliver an education about the critical importance of the United States Constitution. The Ohio State University, Cleveland State, Wright State, Miami of Ohio, and The University of Toledo host the programs and enrollment is growing.

Senator Cirino joins The President's Podcast this week for a look at what's next for higher education, including his new bill, "The Strengthening Ohio Civics Act."

SB 1 was a tough public policy fight yet well worth it. Watch the stories we posted from the original Ohio Public University Trustee Symposium where professors exposed the danger of DEI in campus hiring, competency, and the cancel culture's efforts to ruin careers.

The President's Podcast is found on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, iHeart, and Apple Podcasts.