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Federal law prohibits universities receiving federal funding, including federal financial aid, from using use race or sex in the awarding of scholarships.  The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has recently provided guidance reiterating these restrictions. 51���� has already taken action to align with federal guidance, and we do not anticipate significant impacts on scholarships as a result of the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act. 

51����’s highly competitive Templeton Scholars Program, Appalachian Scholars and Urban Scholars Programs, and Margaret Boyd Scholars Program underwent review in 2023 to ensure selection criteria and associated processes aligned with new interpretation of federal law, and those programs will continue at 51����.

The law does not require changes to course or program offerings as it relates to what it defines as “controversial topics.” 

Rather, the law requires that public Universities “affirm and declare” a commitment to intellectual diversity “for course approval, approval of courses to satisfy general education requirements… and student learning outcomes,” as well as remaining committed to allowing “students to reach their own conclusions about all controversial beliefs or policies.” To this end, the Office of the Provost will work with the University Curriculum Council to incorporate intellectual diversity as a criterion in the course approval process. The law encourages the development and offering of courses on a wide variety of topics that will allow for student choice.

51���� remains deeply committed to academic freedom, and the law itself explicitly protects the ability of faculty to exercise “professional judgment about how to accomplish intellectual diversity within an academic discipline.” No changes to course offerings are anticipated except where explicitly outlined in the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, which includes the introduction of a new American civic literacy course and the potential sunsetting of programs with fewer than five graduates on average.

The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act includes a requirement for universities to “eliminate any undergraduate degree program it offers if the institution confers an average of fewer than five degrees in that program annually over any three-year period” or submit a waiver for consideration to the Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education. 

It is important to note that all students currently enrolled in a degree program potentially impacted by this requirement will have the opportunity to complete degree requirements as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog.

The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost is working with Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics to identify programs that fit this low-conferral definition. Working with the Deans, the Provost will determine if any programs fitting this definition should be submitted for a potential waiver to the Chancellor in the coming weeks. 

University leaders are continuing to seek clarity on the appropriate interpretation of language in the law related to “diversity, equity and inclusion” offices and staff. University leaders also are communicating with other Universities across the state to ensure our understanding aligns with that of other institutions. While some changes will likely need to be made, we want to ensure those changes reflect an accurate interpretation of the law. As we know more, we will share additional information. 

Changes will not impact the Office of Accessibility Services or the Veterans and Military Student Services Center, both of which fulfill regulatory or compliance functions and are not impacted by this new law. The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act also will not impact our Office of Civil Rights Compliance, which will continue in its role of ensuring compliance with federal Civil Rights laws.

The recently signed Advance Ohio Higher Education Act includes requirements that each state institution of higher education “develop a course with no fewer than three credit hours in the subject area of American civic literacy,” and all students seeking a bachelor’s degree complete this course requirement.

However, the law also states that the course requirement will be applied only to students graduating in Spring 2030 or later. To that end, the large majority of OHIO’s current students will not be impacted by this requirement. In addition, students may qualify for an exemption to this future course requirement if they have completed a College Credit Plus or Advanced Placement course and exam that meets the content requirements outlined in the legislation or if they have already earned at least three credit hours in American history or American government.

The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost is working with the College of Arts and Sciences and other academic colleges to facilitate the development of the required American civic literacy course during the 2025-26 academic year. 

The requirement to publicly post syllabi is effective beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. The Provost’s Office will work with the appropriate administrative units to determine the technology that will support this requirement and will provide guidance to faculty well in advance of Fall 2026 to ensure this requirement is met.