An Ohio state senator is introducing a bill that will require public universities and colleges in Ohio to provide full disclosure of donations made by affiliates of the People's Republic of China.
State Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kitland, said Senate Bill 83 — the Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act — “will allow students to exercise their right to free speech without threat of reprisal by professors or administrators,” according to an April 17 report from the Columbus Dispatch.
"Colleges and universities chasing Chinese Communist dollars are endangering our national security," U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said in an April 17 post on Twitter.
Ohio's SB 83 contains several provisions that could significantly impact campus life at the state's public colleges and universities. One of these provisions would prohibit any academic or financial partnerships between Ohio's public institutions and those in China, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
"Communist China's activities around the world and to their people are far more egregious than what Russia is doing to Ukraine," Cirino said in the Columbus Dispatch report.
SB 83 proposes banning Ohio's universities and colleges from accepting gifts or donations from China, the Columbus Dispatch reported. The bill requires the disclosure of current partnerships between Ohio's higher education institutions and Chinese institutions and prohibits the formation of new partnerships as well.
Faculty at some public universities are concerned the bill would end partnerships with Chinese institutions, resulting in cuts to Ohio’s economy and educational offerings, including study-abroad programs, dual-enrollment doctorate programs, faculty exchanges and more.
Ohio has 14 universities with 24 regional branch campuses and 23 community colleges, as reported in an April 13 article from the Columbus Dispatch.
The proposed legislation does not affect private and independent colleges in the state. However, the legislation includes a provision that bars the chancellor from disbursing state funds to private institutions unless they provide a statement of commitment to intellectual diversity, free speech and compliance with state-mandated policies, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
