Ohio universities in race against clock to roll back Senate Bill 1

Supporters of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in Ohio’s public universities are racing against the clock to overturn Senate Bill 1—a sweeping law that bans DEI initiatives in Ohios public universities—before it takes effect on June 27, 2025.

Signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on March 28, SB 1 embeds into law a ban on DEI-based hiring, scholarships, and programs, eliminates some tenure protections, restricts faculty from striking, imposes a mandatory civics course, and forces universities into new reporting and course-posting protocols. The law takes effect exactly one week before the group leading the repeal—the Ohio Professors Referendum Campaign—must file enough valid signatures.

To force a statewide referendum this November, the campaign must collect 248,093 valid signatures from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties, with each county contributing at least 3% of its vote total in the last gubernatorial election—all by the end of June. With a typical invalidation rate of 50%, organizers are pushing for roughly 500,000 raw signatures.

Sen. Jerry Cirino, R–Kirtland, the chief sponsor of SB 1, argues that the law combats ideological uniformity on campus. “SB 1 addresses the debacle that DEI has become,” Cirino told colleagues in February, adding that DEI “has morphed into institutional discrimination”. After DeWine signed the bill, Cirino celebrated it as “monumentally significant legislation” that will usher in “a renaissance of academic excellence” and let universities “deal with looming enrollment challenges”.

Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, who once oversaw Youngstown State University, endorsed the push for ideological balance in higher education. “The word ‘university’ meant ‘unity’ and ‘diversity,’” he said, recalling his efforts to cultivate racial understanding across campus communities.

Senate Higher Education Chair Kristina Roegner framed the law as restoring open discourse. She emphasized that colleges should be places where students “can speak their mind without being canceled” and where both sides of an issue are examined without academic fear.

Opposition coalesced immediately. The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU-Ohio, declared the law “sends a clear, harmful message to students,” warning that what they framed as “vague language” around “controversial beliefs” could spark self-censorship.

The Ohio Professors Referendum Campaign—a coalition led by Youngstown State University faculty—gathered over 4,500 initial signatures and filed their petition on April 21, the first step in the repeal process. Campaign leader Mark Vopat described their efforts as a “long‑shot” and a “Hail Mary” to halt the law from going into effect.

“No state should take away our ability to determine what students learn, or whether faculty can advocate for their colleagues,” said Sarah Donaldson of the repeal coalition. She emphasized that SB 1 would strip universities of agency, undermine academic freedom, and could damage Ohio’s ability to attract top talent.

Opponents argue that DEI programs enrich campuses and boost economic competitiveness. Casey Weinstein, an Ohio state senator, warned that banning DEI “will only harm Ohio’s ability to find and train the best and brightest workers,” calling SB 1 “a direct attack on academic independence”.

With just days left before the June 27 deadline, campaign organizers are deploying paid signature gatherers and grassroots volunteers statewide. Attorney General Dave Yost and Secretary of State Frank LaRose have validated their initial filing, setting the stage for the final push.

If supporters reach the threshold, Ohioans will vote on whether to repeal SB 1 this November.