UC and Ohio face backlash over DEI and education policies
A campaign to repeal Ohio's Senate Bill 1, which restricts diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at colleges, failed to gather enough voter signatures to qualify for a ballot referendum, leading to the law's imminent implementation. The effort, organized by a university faculty union, collected about 195,000 signatures but fell short of the 248,092 required, and plans to shred the petitions rather than share data with political groups. The bill, supported by Republicans, aims to limit DEI programs and impose new requirements on faculty, sparking criticism for potentially stifling academic freedom.