On June 27, Senate Bill 1 (SB1), the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, came into effect. Now that it is here and universities are starting the academic year, the destructive consequences of the law are becoming apparent. From closures of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices, to the cancellation of scholarships and to the degradation of educational quality and freedom—this law is an insult to students in Ohio.

While it was passing through the legislature, SB1 saw intense opposition from the public. It received over 1,700 opponent testimonies from students, faculty and community members compared to 20 proponent testimonies, some from out of state. The Ohio Student Association (OSA) at The Ohio State University led a 1,000-person-strong march to the statehouse against the bill. OSA was a leader of the student opposition to the bill, ensuring that all students knew how dangerous it is, and amplifying the voices of those most hurt by it. Despite the massive opposition, it passed.

The law, affecting public universities in Ohio, has prohibited “any orientation or training course regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion” as well as the existence of any DEI scholarships or offices. At CWRU, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Engagement office was dissolved, and the Office of Campus Enrichment and Engagement was created. In an email, President Eric Kaler cited the fact that the “executive orders (issued Jan. 20 and Jan. 21) to eliminate [DEI] programs in organizations receiving federal funding make clear that there are consequences for those who do not comply.” As a result, the dissolution of the previous office led to multiple CWRU staff members employed in the DEI office and the Office of Multicultural Affairs being terminated or leaving. Across the state, public universities lost more: The Ohio State University lost their Pride Center and the University of Cincinnati lost their African American Cultural and Research Center, among other losses. The law targets any topics that can be viewed as “controversial,” and we are watching as history is re-written on campuses across Ohio. Scholarships administered through these offices had to be cancelled or revised to comply with SB1, as they feared punishment from legislation.

Lawmakers have signaled that they intend to force SB1 onto private institutions like our own. In the State Senate’s proposal for the fiscal year 2026-2027, the Governor’s Merit Scholarship was changed to make a school’s funding for the scholarship dependent on compliance with SB1. Thus, all universities awarding the scholarship would be required to comply with the terms of SB1, even if they are private. The scholarship is given out to students from Ohio who meet a certain GPA requirement, encouraging Ohioans to attend Ohio colleges. While this provision did not pass, the message is clear: private universities will be targeted as well.

In a comment to The Observer, a university spokesperson said, “While we will comply with any federal and state laws, our priority remains ensuring an environment that fosters academic and research excellence, free inquiry and student success.” SB1 does not require private universities to follow its provisions, but CWRU students have already lost significant university support with the absence of the DEI office and several of its resource-filled website pages. It would be harmful to lose more due to pressure from the state. All students benefit from a commitment to diversity, and the destruction of this core commitment is sure to be dangerous. SB1’s restrictions would be disastrous for our school.

CWRU has a reputation as an institution with high quality education and research, yet SB1’s implementation threatens everything. The school administration has planned to no longer rely on the Governor’s Merit Scholarship fund, and we, as concerned students, must hold them to this decision. We cannot allow our university leaders to be coerced into degrading the quality of education that we receive.