Senate Bill 1, a bill banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education, takes influence on students day-to-day on campus. Credit: Daniel Bush | Campus Photo Editor
Senate Bill 1 has caused a handful of changes affecting the daily lives of students at Ohio State.
SB 1, a bill that bans diversity, equity and inclusion programming and faculty striking, limits the teaching of controversial subjects and requires course syllabi to be public online, was passed on Mar. 25. SB 1 went into effect on June 27.
Here is what students need to know about SB 1 compliance at the university.
The university has an implementation committee that works to establish guidance on the law
Made up of 13 members, the SB 1 Implementation Committee works with “senior leadership and a range of stakeholders” to develop guidelines and guidance regarding SB 1 compliance.
The committee has individuals from a handful of departments from the Office of Human Resources to the Office of University Compliance and Integrity, according to the university’s website.
This committee leads workstreams with students, faculty and staff from all the university’s campuses and colleges to discuss the structure and implementation of SB 1. The University Senate is also engaged in these workstreams.
Cultural and awareness recognitions and events are still celebrated, but with some restrictions
Ohio State continues to allow events, programs, recognitions and university participation in different cultural awareness events, from Black History Month to Pride Month, according to the university’s website.
However, these events, programming or recognition must be open to all, and cannot “benefit” an underrepresented group.
According to the university, these events and recognitions can be communicated on university channels as long as the communications do not “take a position, engage in advocacy for or expand on the cultural or awareness month beyond recognizing it.”
The university can still fund these events or recognitions as long as the funding is provided equally.
Individuals are still able to express their own views on these topics.
Land acknowledgements can no longer be recognized unless they relate to specific course material
As of August, Ohio State has prohibited land acknowledgements unless they are directly related to a course’s subject.
Land acknowledgements are formal statements that recognize Indigenous peoples’ contributions to the land on which we live, according to the National Museum of the American Indian.
According to the university’s website, land acknowledgements “are considered statements on behalf of an issue or cause” so they cannot be issued by any department, unit or college at the university. Land acknowledgements are also not permitted in written or spoken class materials unless there is a correlation between the acknowledgement and the course.
The university complied with “open and welcoming to all” messaging, removing the past “DEI style”
To comply with SB 1, the university has published a guide online to ensure that faculty and staff avoid specific terms to “mitigate the risk of preventable misconceptions regarding the university’s programs.”
All programming needed to be updated with this wording by June 27.
For research communications, any research involving “controversial beliefs or policies outlined in SB 1” must focus specifically on the findings of the story. All news and social media content relating to the research have to avoid any discussion beyond the findings that may advocate or take positions on certain policies or issues, according to the guide.
The guide also lists specific terms and phrases that are “non-compliant” with SB 1 standards. These terms include diversity, inclusion, underrepresented, antiracism, underprivileged and social justice.
Instead of using those phrases, the university advises individuals to use terms like differing viewpoints, student success, sense of community and workplace of choice.
The guide also lists how programs, missions, task forces, outreach initiatives, events and research partnerships must update their wording for their statements and descriptions to comply with SB 1.
The university restricted dorm floor decorations to Ohio State spirit themes
Ohio State advised all resident advisors to keep their dorm floor decorations within an Ohio State spirit theme, ranging from the university’s scarlet and gray colors, Block O or Brutus, according to prior Lantern reporting.
University spokesperson, Dave Isaacs, said that this decision was only partially related to SB 1, but this rule came to be to “create an open and welcoming environment for all students.”
Students living in dorms, as well as previous RA’s, have announced their disappointment with this change on social media like Instagram and Reddit.
As of Autumn 2026, all freshmen will be required to take an American Civic Literacy course, and all syllabi must be published online
According to guidelines in SB 1, each state institution must develop a new course in the subject of American Civic Literacy that follows a specific plan by the Ohio Department of Higher Education to enact for the 2026-27 school year. Ohio State must submit its plan by Sept. 30.
All syllabi must also be published online before the Autumn 2026 semester, so individuals can visit the course syllabi and see the assignments and instructions taught in the class.
The university continues to update its SB 1 compliance website with news and updates. To learn more about updated policies, visit the Office of University Compliance and Integrity website.
