Under Senate Bill 1, Ohio’s public colleges and universities must publicly post detailed information about every undergraduate course beginning this fall. The law, championed by Republican lawmakers as a safeguard against “woke” indoctrination, also bans most diversity, equity and inclusion programs and ends faculty’s right to strike.
Costs to individual campuses
Because the legislation provides no dedicated funding for the new syllabus requirement, each campus must cover the expense on its own. Public records obtained by Signal Statewide show that Kent State University paid $27,500 for a one‑year contract with Florida‑based Simple Higher Ed, while Ohio State University’s agreement totals $55,000, including a $10,000 setup fee and $45,000 in service fees.
Both contracts are based on per‑student pricing: Kent State’s cost works out to about 94 cents per student, and Ohio State’s to roughly 69 cents per student. Seven additional public universities appear to have partnered with Simple Higher Ed, while others have chosen alternative vendors such as CourseLeaf SYL, Concourse Syllabus, or have built in‑house solutions.
Other institutions’ approaches
Central State University posts a searchable table of its 327 classes directly on its website. Youngstown State University uses CourseLeaf SYL, and Bowling Green State University signed a five‑year deal with Concourse Syllabus that includes $30,000 in first‑year fees and annual price increases of up to 5 percent.
Northeast Ohio Medical University is exempt because it does not offer undergraduate courses. The Ohio Department of Higher Education reports that five community colleges have chosen to publish the same level of detail as four‑year schools, while the remaining 17 two‑year institutions opted to release only class‑related information without instructor biographies.
Impact on faculty and taxpayers
Beyond software fees, campuses must also allocate staff time to compile and maintain the required data. Ohio University officials described the rollout as the result of “months of planning, a faculty‑led pilot, and campus‑wide collaboration.” Critics argue the mandate creates an unfunded mandate, but State Senator Jerry Cirino, the bill’s author, contends the law will ultimately save money by eliminating DEI programs that previously consumed operating appropriations.
“We didn’t fund DEI programs in the first place,” Cirino said in July 2025. “They funded them themselves, out of their operating appropriations. So now they’re removing them. They’re going to save money by removing these programs.”
Transparency for taxpayers
The new requirement gives Ohio residents a window into what taxpayer‑supported institutions are teaching. Course titles, required readings, instructor names, and professional backgrounds must be posted online, allowing parents and community members to assess curriculum content.
While many faculty members view the rule as an intrusion on academic freedom, supporters argue that transparency protects families and upholds constitutional rights to free inquiry and parental oversight of education.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
