Students Share Their Fears: The Impact of Ohio’s Proposed Ban on DEI Initiatives in Higher Education

CINCINNATI — Ohio public universities may face significant changes if Senate Bill 1 is approved. This proposed bill aims to eliminate funding, staff, and courses related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

State Senator Jerry Cirino has been working on this bill for three years. He believes it will empower students to fully exercise their First Amendment rights.

“If you value your freedom to express and think as you please in education, you will support this bill,” he stated.

This legislation builds on Senate Bill 83, which aimed to reduce bias in classrooms by requiring student evaluations to include questions about the classroom environment regarding political, racial, gender, and religious biases. Cirino suggested this bill would allow faculty to speak freely before legislative committees without fear.

Senate Bill 83 did not progress last year, but the new legislation has now been introduced and referred to the Senate Higher Education Committee.

Alivyah Boards, a nursing student at UC, expressed concern over the potential DEI funding ban. She has relied on diversity scholarships to support her education. “I applied for over 40 scholarships, and the only one I received was a diversity scholarship. Without that, I’m uncertain I can finish school,” she shared.

Boards reflected on the wider implications of Senate Bill 1, saying, “It’s daunting to think about my future and my little sister’s journey into college.”

Another nursing student, Kyah Wright, echoed her worries. “I also have a full tuition scholarship based on diversity, so my funding is at risk,” she noted. Both are leaders in a UC organization for minority nurses called Ambition, and they are preparing for the potential ban while trying to stay optimistic about what lies ahead.

“We’ve accomplished so much, and we want to keep growing,” said Boards.