Ohio law cut academic programs; economists split on the consequences

When Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in March signed Ohio Senate Bill 1, some students and faculty members predicted the state’s colleges and universities would lose enrollment and prestige. And people have lost jobs and students have departed because it mandates an end to diversity programs and the termination of majors with few graduates.

But in a survey, a panel of Ohio economists was split on whether the law will reduce enrollment over the long run and whether it will leave us with a less-educated workforce.

While it avoids using the pejorative acronym “DEI,” S.B. 1 bans efforts to ensure that diverse groups have access to higher education.

It also places new restrictions on faculty tenure, which protects faculty from termination without cause. The idea behind tenure is to protect professors’ right to say what they think — regardless whether it’s unpopular with certain groups.

The bill also requires students to take a civics course focused on capitalism.

Ohio Sen. Casey Weintstein, D-Hudson, said the bill undermines the academic freedom essential to top-level research and instruction. 

“Senate Bill 1… is a direct attack on the academic independence that has long been essential to the success of our state’s public higher education system,” Weinstein wrote in February.

“This bill, which bans diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education, along with curtailing tenure protections and collective bargaining power, sends a chilling message to students, faculty, and businesses that Ohio is not committed to fostering academic and institutional freedom.”

Students threatened to leave the state if S.B. 1 became law. Now that it has, Ohio University and Ohio State University have reported enrollment increases.

However, Signal Cleveland in August reported that all colleges and universities could lose big numbers of international students due to the Trump administration’s harsh policies toward noncitizens.

When Scioto Analysis surveyed 18 economists on the matter, a good portion of them said that many factors other than Senate Bill 1 go into students’ enrollment decisions.

Asked whether they agreed that, “The restrictions in SB 1 will reduce long-term enrollment in Ohio’s public universities,” eight agreed, six disagreed and four were uncertain.

Writing in the comments section of the survey, Kevin Egan of the University of Toledo seemed to speak for many of his colleagues.

“There are so many factors that determine college enrollment,” he said. “I don’t see SB 1 topping the list of factors. The usual factors: cost of tuition, state of the economy, and expected earnings returns from college.”

Similarly, Charles Kroncke of Mount St. Joseph University wrote, “Many choose public universities because of cost and major, not political ideology.”

However, Bill LaFayette of Regionomics said S.B. 1 could be seen as part of a pattern by the General Assembly, which has sometimes shown itself to be well to the right of Ohio voters.

For example, it passed harsh abortion restrictions that, after they were briefly in force in 2022, voters shut down with a constitutional amendment that passed in 2023 by nearly 14 percentage points.

LaFayette said some of the legislature’s acts might repel people from coming.

“One of many initiatives of the General Assembly telegraphing that Ohio is an unwelcoming state,” he wrote of S.B. 1.

The economists were similarly mixed when asked if they agreed that, “The restrictions in SB 1 will lead to a less educated state workforce in the long-run.”

Nine agreed, four disagreed, and four were uncertain.

Jonathan Andreas of Bluffton University, wrote that S.B. 1 might not have very big consequential impacts, but it could leave a bad taste in the mouths of many.

“I doubt it will have a big effect, but it will be harder to attract talented faculty and students if this reduces free speech on campus and politicians start dictating what all students must be taught about the history of capitalism,” he said.

Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: info@ohiocapitaljournal.com.