Miami has yet to change its diversity programs on campus, despite the bill that passed the Ohio Senate which could ban diversity and inclusion programs on campus.
The Miami communications office declined to give the Oxford Observer an interview. However, it wrote in an email that “The University continues to review S.B. 1… As it does in all cases, the university will follow the law. University leaders are reviewing the proposed legislation and evaluating if and/or what changes are needed to comply with state and national law.”
S.B. 1, which is titled “Enact Advance Ohio Higher Education Act,” aims to change the way colleges and universities educate through the banning of diversity, equity and inclusion or DEI, banning conversations about controversial topics in the classroom and banning faculty from striking. The bill says the noncompliance from Ohio schools could put them at risk for losing their state funding.
The bill was passed in the Ohio Senate Feb. 12 but has yet to be passed by the Ohio House of Representatives. Miami University released a statement regarding the future of the bill Feb. 21. In the statement, the university expressed the changes that would take place as well as the message that the university will continue to support and welcome all students and faculty.
According to the Ohio Legislature website, the bill prohibits “Any orientation or training course regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.)…Requires each state institution to develop a three credit hour course in the subject of American civic literacy…The bill prohibits full-time faculty members at a state institution of higher education from striking.”
Other Ohio universities such as the University of Cincinnati and The Ohio State University have begun to eliminate its D.E.I. programs to stay in accordance with the new senate bill to ensure their state funding.
The bill includes several other controversial issues, according to Miami faculty. Faculty expressed disapproval of the bill. The changes included in the bill would change several aspects of learning and teaching in the classroom.
Global and intercultural studies Professor Rodney Coates said it’s impossible to not look at diversity when considering academics.
“Every aspect of the student body reflects diversity,” Coates said. “It’s not about teaching the students what to think but more teaching them about how to think critically about these issues and encourage them to ask questions…The purpose of college is to have conversations about controversial topics.”
Students at other Ohio universities such as the University of Cincinnati and The Ohio State University have begun protests in response to the university’s changes in D.E.I. programs.
Coates said he believes Miami students would follow in their footsteps, “The university is obliged to follow the law, and students and supporters will really challenge that.”
Media and Communications Visiting Assistant Professor and opponent of the senate bill Kathleen Kollman said the bill will affect not only the way she teaches, but also her job.
“We already have freedom of speech in the classroom so there is no reason to change it.” Kollman said. “The bill requires posting syllabi online, and to me, that is between myself and my students. …I am also worried about intercultural communication classes. I have been teaching since 2013, and I teach in the department of global and intercultural studies and don’t know what changes will be made.”
Miami University’s Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion’s mission is to help enhance academic and personal success of students who are a part of diverse communities. The center has opportunities for intercultural and LGBTQ+ initiatives to promote closeness and community among students on campus. The director of the center declined to be interviewed and referred the Oxford Observer to the university communications office.
According to the Ohio Legislature website, Sen. Jerry Cirino sponsored the bill because he believes the support from universities for D.E.I. has led to institutional discrimination through the establishment of the program.
According to Cirino’s sponsor testimony, the bill is about eliminating the institutional discrimination which has come about through the university support of D.E.I. In his testimony, Cirino described his view of institutional discrimination as an environment where students have a limit to free expression of ideas and are silenced.
