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Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio State University is closing its Office of Diversity and Inclusion
On the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.) Ohio State University is closing their Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Student Life's Center for Belonging and Social Change. Ohio State President Ted Carter announced the changes during Thursday's University Senate meeting. Friday is the deadline for schools to comply with the U.S. Department of Education's Dear Colleague letter that threatened to rescind federal funds for schools that use race-conscious practices in admissions, programming, training, hiring, scholarships, and other aspects of student life. 'The federal government has signaled its intent to enforce guidance invalidating the use of race in a broad range of educational activities, including by withdrawing federal dollars that are so important to our student, academic and operational success,' Carter said in a university statement. 'The Attorney General of Ohio – our statutory counsel – has advised us that his office concurs with the federal government's position regarding the use of race in educational activities.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Some of the services offered by the offices will transition between the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Life. 'We are announcing initial changes in order to maintain programs that support all students and remove barriers to their success,' Carter said. 'Our goal is to ensure that Ohio State continues to be a place where all are welcomed and treated with respect, while also following the letter and spirit of the laws and regulations that govern us.' Sixteen professional staff positions will be eliminated and student employees affected by these closures will be offered other jobs at the university, university spokesperson Ben Johnson said. 'No employee will lose their job for at least 60 days, and we will follow our standard practice of working with individuals to find other opportunities at Ohio State where possible,' Johnson said in an email. Carter acknowledged both offices have done important work for Ohio State over the years. Ohio State's Office of Diversity and Inclusion was founded in 1970. 'I know these decisions will be disappointing for many in our community, particularly as we navigate an already uncertain and challenging period,' Carter said in a statement. 'We may not know all the answers, but I have heard your concerns, I understand the varied emotions many on our campus are feeling.' Scholarships administered through the Office of Academic Affairs, such as the Morrill Scholarship Program and the Young Scholars Program, will continue. However, their eligibility criteria could be modified, according to the university. 'These changes will not reduce current student scholarships, financial aid or student employment,' Carter said. 'Every current student who has earned an award will retain their scholarship.' The Office of Institutional Equity will be renamed the Office of Civil Rights Compliance 'to more accurately reflect its work' and report to the Office of University Compliance and Integrity, the university said. 'The Office of Civil Rights Compliance will continue to serve as a university-wide resource for receiving, investigating and resolving all reports of discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct,' the university said. The Ohio Student Association was disappointed with Ohio State's actions. 'It is incredibly disheartening to see that Ohio's public universities refuse to stand up for their students,' OSA said in a statement. 'Students suffer when our universities cower to the threat of extremist policies.' Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The Ohio State University 'sunsets' offices amid ongoing review of diversity, equity and inclusion work
The Ohio State University (OSU) "sunset" its Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Center for Belonging and Social Change on Friday. The office closures reportedly impacted 16 professional staff positions. The school said no worker will lose their position for at least 60 days and that it will help find impacted employees internal jobs where available, WBNS reported. OSU President Ted Carter announced the closures on Thursday, citing federal law that enforces universities to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) measures on campus. "The federal government has signaled its intent to enforce guidance invalidating the use of race in a broad range of educational activities, including by withdrawing federal dollars that are so important to our student, academic and operational success," Carter wrote in a message posted to the OSU website. Ag Bondi Dismisses Dei Lawsuits Brought Against Police, Fire Departments Under Biden Administration "Here in Ohio, a bill barring DEI is also making its way through the legislature, and the Attorney General of Ohio — our statutory counsel — has advised us that his office concurs with the federal government's position regarding the use of race in educational activities," he said. Read On The Fox News App Scholarships administered by the Office of Academic Affairs will adjust their eligibility criteria. The programming and services offered by Student Life's Center for Belonging and Social Change were set to end Friday. "We will sunset the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) along with some of its services, effective February 28, 2025. Scholarships administered by the Office of Academic Affairs, including the Morrill Scholarship Program and the Young Scholars Program will be maintained with modified eligibility criteria going forward," Carter added. OSU's Hale Black Cultural Center, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity and "other DEI-related units at the university are currently under the president's review," according to OSU's student newspaper, The Lantern. Group Of Dei Workers Sue To Stop Trump Executive Orders Carter's announcement comes after the Trump administration released a memo Feb. 14 with guidance that colleges and universities end DEI-related mandates, policies and programs. If the institutions fail to comply, they could face the loss of federal funding, per the civil rights office of the Department of Education. Trump in January signed an executive order terminating DEI "discrimination" in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture The executive order directed every department and agency to end "private sector DEI discrimination," including civil compliance investigations. In December, the University of Michigan announced it would no longer "solicit diversity statements as part of faculty hiring, promotion and tenure." Other universities that nixed DEI include Northeastern University, Missouri State University and West Virginia University. Many proponents of DEI argue that the effort corrects historical injustices and systemic article source: The Ohio State University 'sunsets' offices amid ongoing review of diversity, equity and inclusion work
Fox News
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
The Ohio State University 'sunsets' offices amid ongoing review of diversity, equity and inclusion work
The Ohio State University (OSU) "sunset" its Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Center for Belonging and Social Change on Friday. The office closures reportedly impacted 16 professional staff positions. The school said no worker will lose their position for at least 60 days and that it will help find impacted employees internal jobs where available, WBNS reported. OSU President Ted Carter announced the closures on Thursday, citing federal law that enforces universities to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) measures on campus. "The federal government has signaled its intent to enforce guidance invalidating the use of race in a broad range of educational activities, including by withdrawing federal dollars that are so important to our student, academic and operational success," Carter wrote in a message posted to the OSU website. "Here in Ohio, a bill barring DEI is also making its way through the legislature, and the Attorney General of Ohio — our statutory counsel — has advised us that his office concurs with the federal government's position regarding the use of race in educational activities," he said. Scholarships administered by the Office of Academic Affairs will adjust their eligibility criteria. The programming and services offered by Student Life's Center for Belonging and Social Change were set to end Friday. "We will sunset the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) along with some of its services, effective February 28, 2025. Scholarships administered by the Office of Academic Affairs, including the Morrill Scholarship Program and the Young Scholars Program will be maintained with modified eligibility criteria going forward," Carter added. OSU's Hale Black Cultural Center, Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity and "other DEI-related units at the university are currently under the president's review," according to OSU's student newspaper, The Lantern. Carter's announcement comes after the Trump administration released a memo Feb. 14 with guidance that colleges and universities end DEI-related mandates, policies and programs. If the institutions fail to comply, they could face the loss of federal funding, per the civil rights office of the Department of Education. Trump in January signed an executive order terminating DEI "discrimination" in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending. The executive order directed every department and agency to end "private sector DEI discrimination," including civil compliance investigations. In December, the University of Michigan announced it would no longer "solicit diversity statements as part of faculty hiring, promotion and tenure." Other universities that nixed DEI include Northeastern University, Missouri State University and West Virginia University. Many proponents of DEI argue that the effort corrects historical injustices and systemic inequities.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio State ends DEI, closes two offices, eliminates 16 staffers in response to Trump
Ohio State University will shutter two campus offices focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and eliminate more than a dozen staff positions as a result of Trump administration directives. President Ted Carter announced the changes during Thursday afternoon's University Senate meeting. "I know the changes we're sharing today and those that may come will likely disappoint many in our campus community, and I understand that," Carter said. "None of these are taken easily and none of these decisions were made quickly." The public meeting is typically only attended by elected senators and a few other guests. But the auditorium inside Drinko Hall was packed Thursday with students, faculty, staff and administrators, including dozens of undergraduates students representing The Morrill Scholarship Program and the Young Scholars Program. Others were turned away at the door because there were not enough seats inside. Ohio State's Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Center for Belonging and Social Change will have 60 days to sunset its programs and services beginning Friday. The Office of Institutional Equity, which oversees compliance of areas like Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act, will be renamed the Office of Civil Rights Compliance. That office will continue to receive, investigate and resolve all reports of discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct. Students with scholarships offered through these offices will not lose their financial aid because of these changes, though there could be adjustments made to eligibility for future applicants. The Morrill Scholarship Program and the Young Scholars Program, two scholarships offered through the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, will not be impacted by these changes. "No student will be disadvantaged by these announcements," Carter said. Sixteen professional staff positions between these offices will be eliminated over the next 60 days. Student employees will not be affected. Eliminated staff who are interested in other positions at the university will receive help to find new employment. Carter said the changes announced Thursday are "initial steps" and might not be the last. "This is not something we initiated, this is something coming from the federal government," Carter said. Carter told Ohio State's Board of Trustees last week that the university anticipated new leadership at the state and federal government would bring changes. Ohio State launched a webpage to post updates and information on legislative and executive actions at all levels of government that impact the university community. This resource will continue to be updated and currently includes guidance on federally funded research, DEI programs and immigration. Higher education: Republicans want to eliminate DEI offices on campus. What do they do? The changes come as a direct result of several mandates from the Trump administration to wipe DEI practices from colleges and universities. President Donald Trump has signed more than 110 executive actions to date, said Stacy Rastauskas, Ohio State's vice president for government affairs. It is a number that is historic in pace and activity, she said. In a "Dear Colleague" letter sent on Feb. 14, the U.S. Department of Education gave schools an ultimatum: Eliminate "race-based decision-making" from their campuses by the end of the month or risk losing federal funding. Schools must stop considering race in "decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life," according to the letter. The letter's basis was built on the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, that overturned the use of race-conscious admissions practices at colleges and universities. Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said the scope of the court's decision also extends to areas like hiring decisions or awarding financial aid. Losing federal dollars, Carter said, means the university would "cease to exist." Anne Garcia, Ohio State's general counsel, said Thursday that a group sued the Education Department, claiming the letter infringes on the First Amendment. "While they are not the law, they are guidance," Garcia said, as the Office for Civil Rights uses the guidelines to initiate investigations and punish institutions. College DEI: Ohio colleges and universities are cutting DEI programs, staff. Here's what we know Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost previously agreed with a broader interpretation of the Supreme Court's affirmative action decision. Days after the decision dropped, Yost sent a memo to Ohio college and university leaders that they must adhere to the court's ruling with "strict scrutiny," including getting rid of any 'disguised race-conscious admissions." Failure to do so could make them personally liable to litigation. Yost specifically told university general counsels in January 2024 that compliance with the ruling also includes scholarships. Although the letter applies to all schools that receive federal funding — including K-12 districts, preschools and state educational agencies — the directive is likely to hit hardest at universities. Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Sign up for Extra Credit, her education newsletter, here. shendrix@ @sheridan120 This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State to close two DEI offices, eliminate 16 staff positions
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Students say they will leave Ohio if lawmakers go forward with massive higher education overhaul
On the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.) Where 16-year-old Michelle Huang goes to college hinges largely on what happens with a massive, controversial higher education bill that the Ohio Senate recently passed. Huang, a junior at Olentangy Liberty High School in Delaware County, said she always imagined herself going to Ohio State University to study political science, but is not so sure anymore because of Ohio Senate Bill 1. She wants to receive Ohio State's Morrill Scholarship, a merit scholarship program where one of the requirements is to 'contribute to campus diversity.' But S.B. 1 would, among other things, ban diversity and inclusion efforts and jeopardize diversity scholarships. 'The fact that S.B. 1 puts (diversity) scholarships in jeopardy is a big deterrent for me applying to Ohio State and other Ohio schools who offer similar scholarships,' Huang said. Ohio State University Spokesman Ben Johnson said the Morrill Scholarship Program 'is open to students of any background and would continue,' he said in an email. 'We will continue to work with elected officials on both sides of the aisle to advance Ohio State and ensure our students, faculty and staff have the resources and support needed to succeed,' Johnson said in an email. 'It's too early to comment further at this time.' S.B. 1 would ban diversity and inclusion efforts, prevent faculty from striking, set rules around classroom discussion, put diversity scholarships at risk, shorten university board of trustees terms from nine years down to six years, and require students take an American history course, among other things. Regarding classroom discussion, it would set rules around topics involving 'controversial beliefs' such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion. State Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, introduced S.B. 1 less than a month ago and the Ohio Senate passed S.B.1 last week, so the bill now heads to the Ohio House for consideration. S.B. 1 only applies to Ohio's public universities and community colleges. It will need to pass the Ohio House and receive the governor's signature to become law. If it were to be vetoed by Gov. Mike DeWine, lawmakers would need a 3/5 vote from each chamber to override it. 'I've always been really close to Ohio State and having one of the primary incentives to go there just to be taken away is honestly just so saddening to me,' Huang said. Huang said she still plans on applying to Ohio State in addition to other colleges such as Ohio Wesleyan University, a private school, and Georgetown University in Washington D.C. 'I just have this impending feeling of not knowing,' Huang said. 'I really hope that this bill doesn't progress much further.' Huang was among the 837 people who submitted opponent testimony and testified in-person during last week's marathon eight hour Ohio Senate Higher Education Committee meeting. In testimony, a variety of other students said they would leave the state if the overhaul becomes law in Ohio. She is also concerned about the potential implications the bill would have on classroom discussions, especially in history and government classes. 'I feel like if the bill is signed into law, it will just be a lot harder for students to learn about our history from a nuanced perspective and also have these important conversations that are pretty essential to our understanding of society and our government,' Huang said. Among the many provisions in S.B. 1, one would eliminate undergraduate degree programs 'if the institution confers an average of fewer than five degrees in that program annually over any three-year period,' according to the bill's language. 'It's an arbitrary number that implies things are not functioning the way they should, but it's actually not necessarily a clear view of what's going on in the program,' said Gretchen McNamara, a senior lecturer of music at Wright State University. 'When you just look at things from a data standpoint, it doesn't tell the whole story.' She is also concerned tenured faculty would lose their jobs if a university program is cut. 'It's just very detrimental to the profession, and there's no point in tenure if it can so easily be dismissed without a clear metric and understanding of that specific number that they've selected,' said McNamara, who is also the president of the Ohio conference of American Association of University Professors. There are many reasons why a program might be small, said John Huss, the chair of the University of Akron's philosophy department. 'It could be difficult, so students don't want to major in it, or they flunk out of it because it's just hard,' he said. 'It may be that it's a niche program that's very important, but it's never going to be numerically large. I think of, for example, strategic languages.' This provision would hurt the competitiveness of Ohio's public universities, Huss said. 'We're having less flexibility for students at public universities than exists for students at state schools in other states or private schools in our own state,' he said. Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
