Latest news with #M.B.Reilly
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Cincinnati removes 'biological' bathroom signs, wasting $16K
The University of Cincinnati has removed its controversial "biological" bathroom signs just a little over one month after they went up. The Ohio university came under fire in February after plastering signs on some of its restrooms that read 'biological men' or 'biological women,' supposedly to comply with a new state law. Senate Bill 104 mandates that students at public K-12 schools, colleges, and universities use restrooms and other facilities according to their sex assigned at birth. The bill took effect 90 days after it was signed it into law by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in November. The university — which was not required by law to hang the signs — erected them one week early anyways. The university has since removed the signs after widespread backlash, including a protest attended by hundreds of students. Maintenance staff had to put up then take down 117 signs across four residential communities on campus, university spokesperson M.B. Reilly told The Cincinnati Enquirer, bringing the total cost of labor and materials to $16,000. The university has said that hanging the signs was an "error," though they did not elaborate on how the "error" was made. Vice provost Nicole Mayo and vice president Bleuzette Marshall sent an email to students, obtained by the outlet, shortly after the protest that only stated, "This was an error on our part, and we apologize for the harm it may have caused." The University of Cincinnati also came under fire for its advance compliance with Senate Bill 1, which prohibits "any orientation or training course regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion," "the continuation of existing diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or departments," "establishing new diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or departments," "using diversity, equity, and inclusion in job descriptions," and establishing "any new institutional scholarships that use diversity, equity, and inclusion in any manner." University officials also cited Donald Trump's executive orders against DEI, parts of which had been blocked by a federal court. University of Cincinnati President Neville Pinto released a statement saying the school would be examining its DEI initiatives and 'evaluating jobs and duties related to DEI" before the law had even passed. The ACLU of Ohio denounced the bill's passage, with Policy Director Jocelyn Rosnick saying in a statement, "As students nationwide witness the ongoing assaults against their First Amendment rights, it is disheartening to see Ohio's own legislators follow suit in this dangerous pattern of stifling political discourse." "By dismantling DEI structures, Senate Bill 1 sends a clear, harmful message to students that their unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are not welcome in Ohio," Rosnick said, adding, "Institutions of higher education must remain places where academic freedom and diversity can foster – not be censored."
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio university displays 'biological' sex bathroom signs in wake of new state law
One of Ohio's largest universities has begun displaying signs limiting restroom use to 'biological men' and 'biological women' following the enactment of a new state law. The University of Cincinnati began displaying the new signage last week in its residence halls and some other on-campus buildings in response to the passage of a law that restricts bathroom use in public and private K-12 schools and colleges to members of the same 'biological sex.' Signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in November, the legislation officially goes into effect Tuesday. A public institution with more than 50,000 students, the University of Cincinnati appears to be the first Ohio college or university to comply with the new law. A representative for TransOhio, a statewide transgender advocacy group, said the school is the first it is aware of that's 'taking any action in response to the bill.' The law does not specify how exactly it should be enforced, making it unclear how other schools will comply. At least 15 states restrict which restrooms trans people can use in school settings, but only five have laws that apply to colleges and universities. Of these five, only two — Florida and Ohio — have measures that include private colleges and universities, according to the LGBTQ think tank Movement Advancement Project. A spokesperson for the University of Cincinnati confirmed there have been 'signage updates in some residence halls and locker rooms' on campus. 'As a public institution, we are following the law and seeking to meet our mission to create an environment where we provide opportunity, develop educated and engaged citizens and enrich our city, state and world,' the spokesperson, M.B. Reilly, said in an email. News of the college's new signage quickly spread after a photo of one of the signs, which reads 'biological men,' was shared Thursday on the social media platform Reddit, drawing thousands of comments. Multiple school employees and students who spoke with NBC News said they did not receive any communication from the university about the new signage beforehand. A QR code linking to a list of single-occupancy restrooms across the campus is attached to the new signs, two students said. Supporters of the law say it is necessary to ensure the safety and privacy of Ohio students. When the bathroom policy was signed into law in November, its chief sponsor, Republican state Sen. Jerry Cirino, called its passage 'common sense' and said the measure 'protects our children and grandchildren in private spaces where they are most vulnerable,' according to The Associated Press. Several transgender students at the University of Cincinnati told NBC News they expect the new bathroom law will make their daily lives more difficult, forcing them to walk longer distances to find restrooms to use. 'I had a panic attack for the first time in a while,' Corvo Hopkins, a 21-year-old junior who is transgender, said in a phone interview. 'I haven't been able to think about anything else.' Hopkins added that the new bathroom signs send a message to trans students that 'we're not valued, they don't want us here, and that living on campus, we're not safe.' Noah Ciolino, an 18-year-old freshman with irritable bowel syndrome, said he moved 10 floors down in his on-campus dormitory building Saturday, because his former suite didn't have a single-occupancy bathroom nearby. In order to 'legally use the right restroom,' he said that he would have had to ride the elevator to a girls floor or take the stairs. He said he worries about what will happen if his current floor's only gender-neutral bathroom is occupied during an emergency situation. 'It's been hard to complete assignments, because I already struggle with depression as it is,' Ciolino said of grappling with the changes on campus. 'Have you ever tried to swim in the opposite direction of where the stream is going? It's like that.' The new bathroom signs aren't the only changes the university has seen this month. On Friday, the school's president, Neville Pinto, sent a letter to students addressing its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion policies following an executive order by President Donald Trump mandating the elimination of DEI in higher education. 'Given the extent to which our university, like most educational institutions, relies on federal funding to deliver and sustain our core mission, it is untenable to operate as if noncompliance with these directives is an effective option,' Pinto's letter read. 'Our leaders have begun evaluating jobs and duties related to DEI and examining our DEI programming, initiatives and projects to bring all areas into compliance. In addition, we have begun removing references to DEI principles across university websites, social media and collateral materials.' On Monday, hundreds of students and staffers gathered on campus to protest the DEI rollback, according to NBC affiliate WLWT of Cincinnati. 'I spent three years on this campus helping make a space where students can feel welcome and feel like they can take that mask down and just can be themselves,' Christian Caffey, a student assistant at the school's LGBTQ Center, told WLWT. 'To have Pinto send out the epitome of the end of office day at 3:45 email, then get out the door and hope everybody cools off over the weekend. That email says, 'Hey, we're going to scrap all the DEI effort as quickly as possible.' That felt like a shot of the heart.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
25-02-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Ohio university displays 'biological' sex bathroom signs in wake of new state law
One of Ohio's largest universities has begun displaying signs limiting restroom use to 'biological men' and 'biological women' following the enactment of a new state law. The University of Cincinnati began displaying the new signage last week in its residence halls and some other on-campus buildings in response to the passage of a law that restricts bathroom use in public and private K-12 schools and colleges to members of the same 'biological sex.' Signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in November, the legislation officially goes into effect Tuesday. A public institution with more than 50,000 students, the University of Cincinnati appears to be the first Ohio college or university to comply with the new law. A representative for TransOhio, a statewide transgender advocacy group, said the school is the first it is aware of that's 'taking any action in response to the bill.' The law does not specify how exactly it should be enforced, making it unclear how other schools will comply. At least 15 states restrict which restrooms trans people can use in school settings, but only five have laws that apply to colleges and universities. Of these five, only two — Florida and Ohio — have measures that include private colleges and universities, according to the LGBTQ think tank Movement Advancement Project. A spokesperson for the University of Cincinnati confirmed there have been 'signage updates in some residence halls and locker rooms' on campus. 'As a public institution, we are following the law and seeking to meet our mission to create an environment where we provide opportunity, develop educated and engaged citizens and enrich our city, state and world,' the spokesperson, M.B. Reilly, said in an email. News of the college's new signage quickly spread after a photo of one of the signs, which reads 'biological men,' was shared Thursday on the social media platform Reddit, drawing thousands of comments. Multiple school employees and students who spoke with NBC News said they did not receive any communication from the university about the new signage beforehand. A QR code linking to a list of single-occupancy restrooms across the campus is attached to the new signs, two students said. Supporters of the law say it is necessary to ensure the safety and privacy of Ohio students. When the bathroom policy was signed into law in November, its chief sponsor, Republican state Sen. Jerry Cirino, called its passage 'common sense' and said the measure 'protects our children and grandchildren in private spaces where they are most vulnerable,' according to The Associated Press. Several transgender students at the University of Cincinnati told NBC News they expect the new bathroom law will make their daily lives more difficult, forcing them to walk longer distances to find restrooms to use. 'I had a panic attack for the first time in a while,' Corvo Hopkins, a 21-year-old junior who is transgender, said in a phone interview. 'I haven't been able to think about anything else.' Hopkins added that the new bathroom signs send a message to trans students that 'we're not valued, they don't want us here, and that living on campus, we're not safe.' Noah Ciolino, an 18-year-old freshman with irritable bowel syndrome, said he moved 10 floors down in his on-campus dormitory building Saturday, because his former suite didn't have a single-occupancy bathroom nearby. In order to 'legally use the right restroom,' he said that he would have had to ride the elevator to a girls floor or take the stairs. He said he worries about what will happen if his current floor's only gender-neutral bathroom is occupied during an emergency situation. 'It's been hard to complete assignments, because I already struggle with depression as it is,' Ciolino said of grappling with the changes on campus. 'Have you ever tried to swim in the opposite direction of where the stream is going? It's like that.' The new bathroom signs aren't the only changes the university has seen this month. On Friday, the school's president, Neville Pinto, sent a letter to students addressing its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion policies following an executive order by President Donald Trump mandating the elimination of DEI in higher education. 'Given the extent to which our university, like most educational institutions, relies on federal funding to deliver and sustain our core mission, it is untenable to operate as if noncompliance with these directives is an effective option,' Pinto's letter read. 'Our leaders have begun evaluating jobs and duties related to DEI and examining our DEI programming, initiatives and projects to bring all areas into compliance. In addition, we have begun removing references to DEI principles across university websites, social media and collateral materials.' On Monday, hundreds of students and staffers gathered on campus to protest the DEI rollback, according to NBC affiliate WLWT of Cincinnati. 'I spent three years on this campus helping make a space where students can feel welcome and feel like they can take that mask down and just can be themselves,' Christian Caffey, a student assistant at the school's LGBTQ Center, told WLWT. 'To have Pinto send out the epitome of the end of office day at 3:45 email, then get out the door and hope everybody cools off over the weekend. That email says, 'Hey, we're going to scrap all the DEI effort as quickly as possible.' That felt like a shot of the heart.'
