Senate Bill 1 & Student Development

Amarah Byakweli & Bennett Dompreh

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Learning Outcomes:

What is SB1? (5 mins)

Ohio Universities' Responses to SB1 (2 mins)

What are your takeaways from these videos?

How Some Universities in Ohio Responded to SB1

Bowling Green State Uni:

• Center for Women and Gender Equity
• Division of Inclusion & Belonging
• Center for Student Connections and Opportunity

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Kent State Uni:

• Multicultural Center
• LGBTQ+ Center
• Women’s Center

Ohio State University

• Center for Belonging and Social Change

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Since March, Ohio's public universities have announced the closure, merging or renaming of many of their identity-based student support systems.

Miami University

• Office of Transformational & Inclusive Excellence
• Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion
• Regionals Center for Diversity Equity and Inclusion

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University of Akron

• Office of Multicultural Development
• Office of Inclusive Excellence

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Ohio University

• Division of Diversity & Inclusion
• Multicultural Center
• Pride Center
• Women’s Center

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University of Toledo

• Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Office of Multicultural Student Success
• Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women

Uni of Cincinnati

• Equity and Inclusion Office
• Ethnic Programs & Services
• LGBTQ+ Center
• Women’s Center
• African American Cultural and Resource Center

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The Impact of SB1 on Student Development (10mins)

What is the impact of SB1 on student development?

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Let’s view it through the lens of:

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Belonging and safety (group 1)​

Learning environment (group 2)​

Identity and relationships (group 3)​

Mental health and wellbeing (group 4)​

The Impact of SB1 on Student Development

Belonging & Safety

• Research shows that students’ sense of belonging is deeply tied to academic success and well-being (Walton & Cohen, 2011).
• When policies like SB1 restrict DEI programs, they remove spaces that help marginalized students feel seen and supported, increasing belonging uncertainty.
• The IDRA (2025) study on DEI restrictions found that many students and educators now feel less safe discussing identity or seeking support, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds.
• This loss of safety and belonging may discourage students from engaging fully in campus life, ultimately limiting their personal and academic growth.

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The Impact of SB1 on Student Development

Learning Environment

• A sense of inclusion enhances learning, when students feel valued and represented, they’re more open to engaging critically in class (Walton & Cohen, 2011).
• SB1’s limits on DEI initiatives may reduce opportunities for diverse dialogue, leading to more guarded or surface-level classroom discussions.
• The IDRA (2025) report notes that faculty in states with DEI restrictions often feel unsure how to support students around topics of identity, which can narrow the scope of learning.
• These conditions can shift learning environments from spaces of exploration and connection to ones that feel cautious or even exclusionary.

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The Impact of SB1 on Student Development

Identity & Relationships

• College is a major period for identity development; students explore who they are and how they relate to others. (Self-authorship)
• SB1 limits programs and spaces that affirm marginalized identities, potentially making students feel they must “code switch” or hide parts of themselves.
• The IDRA (2025) report found that the removal of DEI offices reduced mentorship and peer programs that help students connect across differences.
• As a result, students may experience strained relationships and fewer authentic connections, which hinders social and emotional development.

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The Impact of SB1 on Student Development

Mental Health & Well-Being

• Research consistently links belonging to improved mental health outcomes, students who feel accepted and supported report lower stress and higher resilience (Walton & Cohen, 2011).
• When policies restrict affirming spaces, students may experience increased anxiety, loneliness, and disengagement.
• The IDRA (2025) study found that students in anti-DEI environments express more fear of isolation and less access to culturally responsive counseling or community care.
• Over time, this lack of emotional and social safety can erode students’ confidence, sense of purpose, and motivation to persist.

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GROUP DISCUSSION 

What are some strategies student affairs professionals/practitioners can use to promote inclusivity and holistic student development under SB1?

Strategies to promote inclusive and holistic student development under  SB1. 

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• Reframe Inclusion through Universal Student Success and Belonging

Develop learning communities or peer mentoring programs open to all students but designed to meet diverse needs (first-generation students, student of color, veterans, etc.) through topics like transition, leadership, and resilience.

• Promoting Interdependence over Independence

Interdependence promotes care, collaboration and mutual support. It’s about “we/us”, unlike independence that promote ableism, privileges, and freedom.

• Familiarize yourself with your institution’s response to SB1.

Scan the QR Code to read about Miami’s response.

• Establishing Professional Connection & Networking

Build connection with other professionals from different campuses. Join professional associations like NASPA or ACPA to engage in ongoing professional learning, even if institutional DEI training has been restricted.

REFERENCES 

1. What is in the controversial Senate Bill 1?
2. https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-sweeping-effort-to-reshape-ohios-colleges-has-stalled-for-years-now-its-back-and-even-broader
3. https://www.chronicle.com/article/as-ohio-republicans-reshape-higher-ed-university-presidents-stay-quiet
4. https://miamioh.edu/news/2025/04/organizational-changes-to-comply-with-senate-bill-1.html
5. Universities make changes as Ohio Senate Bill 1 goes into effect
6. Ohio Senate passes controversial bill banning DEI and changing how college campuses function
7. Understanding the controversy, restrictions surrounding Ohio Senate Bill 1
8. Intercultural Development Research Association. (2024). College access study on the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion restrictions. Retrieved from https://www.idra.org/research_articles/college-access-study-on-the-impact-of-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-restrictions/
9. Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2011). A brief social-belonging intervention improves academic and health outcomes of minority students. Science, 331(6023), 1447–1451. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1198364

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QUESTIONS?