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sb461_00_IN
As Introduced
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
S. B. No. 461
2025-2026
Senator Cirino
To
amend sections 3335.39, 3339.06, 3344.07, 3345.382, 3345.58, 3352.16,
and 3364.07 of the Revised Code
to
enact the Strengthening Ohio Civics Act regarding American civics
literacy courses and the operation of academic civics centers.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
That
sections 3335.39, 3339.06, 3344.07, 3345.382, 3345.58, 3352.16, and
3364.07 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Sec.
3335.39.
(A)(1)
The Salmon P. Chase center for civics, culture, and society is
established as an independent academic unit within the Ohio state
university.
The
center shall have all the rights and privileges of an independent
college of the university.
The
center shall conduct teaching and research in the historical ideas,
traditions, and texts that have shaped the American constitutional
order and society.
(2)
The center shall establish bylaws requiring the center to do all of
the following:
(a)
Educate students by means of free, open, and rigorous intellectual
inquiry to seek the truth;
(b)
Affirm its duty to equip students with the skills, habits, and
dispositions of mind they need to reach their own informed
conclusions on matters of social and political importance;
(c)
Affirm the value of intellectual diversity in higher education and
aspire to enhance the intellectual diversity of the university;
(d)
Affirm a commitment to create a community dedicated to an ethic of
civil and free inquiry, which respects the intellectual freedom of
each member, supports individual capacities for growth, and welcomes
the differences of opinion that shall naturally exist in a public
university community.
The
requirements prescribed under divisions (A)(2)(a) to (d) of this
section shall take priority over any other bylaws adopted by the
center.
(3)
Beginning
January 1, 2027, the Salmon P. Chase center for civics, culture, and
society shall be known as the Salmon P. Chase school for civics,
culture, and society, and the director shall serve as dean of the
school. On and after that date, whenever the term "center"
is used, referred to, or designated in any statute, rule, contract,
grant, or other document, the use, reference, or designation shall be
construed to mean the "school" unless another section of
law expressly provides otherwise.
(4)
The
board of trustees of the university may change the name of the center
in accordance with the philanthropic naming policies and practices of
the university.
(B)(1)
The center shall be an independent academic unit with the authority
to house tenure-track faculty who hold their appointments within the
center. Faculty appointed to the center shall not be required, but
may, hold joint appointments within any other division of the
university. Not fewer than fifteen tenure-track faculty positions
shall be allotted to teach under the center. No faculty outside of
the center shall have the authority to block faculty hires into the
center.
No
faculty outside of the center shall have a role in center faculty
promotion and tenure, except with the consent of the director.
(2)
The university shall provide adequate and appropriate space for the
center as jointly determined by the director and either the president
or provost of the university. The university shall not charge or
assess overhead or indirect fees, costs, expenses, or charges to the
center.
Nothing
in this section precludes the ability for the center to apply for
external funding opportunities and negotiate overhead charges as
jointly determined by the director and either the president or
provost of the university.
(3)
The university shall provide adequate annual financial resources to
the center to achieve its mission, as determined by the director. The
sum of the annual money transferred from the university to the center
plus the annual appropriation from the state to the center shall not
be less than the highest annual appropriation provided by the state
to the center in a main operating appropriation act.
(4)
Notwithstanding any university budget allocation methodology to the
contrary, the center shall receive all tuition and other revenue from
all of the courses it offers, subject only to charges applied to all
other academic units.
(5)
The center shall have the authority to create independent endowments,
both temporary and permanent, and a foundation for the sole benefit
of the center and place funds from whatever source, including gifts,
donations, grants, university funds and state appropriations, in such
endowments.
(C)(1)
The center shall offer instruction in all of the following:
(a)
The books and major debates which form the intellectual foundation of
free societies, especially that of the United States;
(b)
The principles, ideals, and institutions of the American
constitutional order;
(c)
The foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship.
(2)
The center also shall focus on both of the following:
(a)
Offering university-wide programming related to the values of free
speech and civil discourse;
(b)
Expanding the intellectual diversity of the university's academic
community.
(D)(1)
The board of trustees of the university shall appoint, with the
advice and consent of the senate, a seven-member Chase center
academic council. An initial member shall not begin service until
confirmed by the senate. Four members shall form a quorum.
(2)
The academic council shall be comprised of scholars with relevant
expertise and experience. Not more than one member of the council may
be an employee of the university. Best efforts shall be made to have
not fewer than three members of the advisory board be from Ohio.
(3)
Three members of the academic council shall serve initial terms of
two years and four members shall serve initial terms of four years,
which the members shall determine at their first meeting, and select
replacements for vacant seats.
(E)(1)
The academic council established under division (D) of this section
shall conduct a nationwide search for candidates for the director of
the center and shall strictly adhere to all relevant state and
federal laws. The academic council shall submit to the president of
the university a list of finalists from which the president shall
select and appoint a director, subject to approval by the board of
trustees. Future directors shall be chosen in the same manner.
(2)
The director shall have the protection of tenure or tenure
eligibility. The director shall report directly to the provost or the
president of the university.
(3)
The director shall have the sole and exclusive authority to manage
all
aspects of
the
recruitment and hiring process and to extend offers for employment
for
and
to hire
all
faculty and staff, and to terminate employment of all staff.
The
director's authority includes determining the salary, tenure, and
rank of faculty. The director may seek advice from faculty outside of
the center but shall not be required to seek or receive such advice.
The
director shall
have
the sole, exclusive, and unlimited authority to
oversee,
develop, and approve the center's curriculum, including
approval
which
of
the center's courses
that
the
director, in the director's sole and exclusive discretion, determines
meet
the university's general education requirements. The center shall
be
granted
have
the
authority to offer courses
independently
and
develop certificate, minor, and major programs as well as graduate
programs, and offer degrees.
(F)
(F)(1)
The director of the center shall submit an annual report to the board
of trustees of the university and the general assembly in accordance
with section 101.68 of the Revised Code. The report shall provide a
full account of the center's achievements, opportunities, challenges,
and obstacles in the development of this academic unit.
(2)
The president or provost of the university shall report to the board
of trustees at every board meeting on the progress of the center
toward achieving its mission and the university's support for the
center, including its academic program development, faculty and staff
hiring, facility, and development and advancement.
Sec.
3339.06.
(A)(1)
The Miami university center for civics, culture, and society is
established as an independent academic unit within Miami university.
The
center shall have all the rights and privileges of an independent
college of the university.
The
center shall conduct teaching and research in the historical ideas,
traditions, and texts that have shaped the American constitutional
order and society.
(2)
The center shall establish bylaws requiring the center to do all of
the following:
(a)
Educate students by means of free, open, and rigorous intellectual
inquiry to seek the truth;
(b)
Affirm its duty to equip students with the skills, habits, and
dispositions of mind they need to reach their own informed
conclusions on matters of social and political importance;
(c)
Affirm the value of intellectual diversity in higher education and
aspire to enhance the intellectual diversity of the university;
(d)
Affirm a commitment to create a community dedicated to an ethic of
civil and free inquiry, which respects the intellectual freedom of
each member, supports individual capacities for growth, and welcomes
the differences of opinion that shall naturally exist in a public
university community.
The
requirements prescribed under divisions (A)(2)(a) to (d) of this
section shall take priority over any other bylaws adopted by the
center.
(3)
The board of trustees of the university may name the center in
accordance with the philanthropic naming policies and practices of
the university.
(B)(1)
The center shall be an independent academic unit physically located
at the college of arts and sciences with the authority to house
tenure-track faculty who hold their appointments within the center.
Faculty appointed to the center shall not be required, but may, hold
joint appointments within any other division of the university. Not
fewer than ten tenure-track faculty positions shall be allotted to
teach under the center. No faculty outside of the center shall have
the authority to block faculty hires into the center.
No
faculty outside of the center shall have a role in center faculty
promotion and tenure, except with the consent of the director.
(2)
The university shall provide adequate and appropriate space for the
center as jointly determined by the director and either the president
or provost of the university. The university shall not charge or
assess overhead or indirect fees, costs, expenses, or charges to the
center.
Nothing
in this section precludes the ability for the center to apply for
external funding opportunities and negotiate overhead charges as
jointly determined by the director and either the president or
provost of the university.
(3)
The university shall provide adequate annual financial resources to
the center to achieve its mission as determined by the director. The
sum of the annual money transferred from the university to the center
plus the annual appropriation from the state to the center shall not
be less than the highest annual appropriation provided by the state
to the center in a main operating appropriation act.
(4)
Notwithstanding any university budget allocation methodology to the
contrary, the center shall receive all tuition and other revenue from
all of the courses it offers, subject only to charges applied to all
other academic units.
(5)
The center shall have the authority to create independent endowments,
both temporary and permanent, and a foundation for the sole benefit
of the center and place funds from whatever source, including gifts,
donations, grants, university funds and state appropriations, in such
endowments.
(C)(1)
The center shall offer instruction in all of the following:
(a)
The books and major debates which form the intellectual foundation of
free societies, especially that of the United States;
(b)
The principles, ideals, and institutions of the American
constitutional order;
(c)
The foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship.
(2)
The center also shall focus on both of the following:
(a)
Offering university-wide programming related to the values of free
speech and civil discourse;
(b)
Expanding the intellectual diversity of the university's academic
community.
(D)(1)
The board of trustees of the university shall appoint, with the
advice and consent of the senate, a seven-member center academic
council. An initial member shall not begin service until confirmed by
the senate. Four members shall form a quorum.
(2)
The academic council shall be comprised of scholars with relevant
expertise and experience. Not more than one member of the council may
be an employee of the university. Best efforts shall be made to have
not fewer than three members of the advisory board be from Ohio.
(3)
Three members of the academic council shall serve initial terms of
two years and four members shall serve initial terms of four years,
which the members shall determine at their first meeting, and select
replacements for vacant seats.
(E)(1)
The academic council established under division (D) of this section
shall conduct a nationwide search for candidates for the director of
the center and shall strictly adhere to all relevant state and
federal laws. The academic council shall submit to the president of
the university a list of finalists from which the president shall
select and appoint a director, subject to approval by the board of
trustees. Future directors shall be chosen in the same manner.
(2)
The director shall have the protection of tenure or tenure
eligibility. The director shall report directly to the provost or the
president of the university.
(3)
The director shall have the sole and exclusive authority to manage
all
aspects of
the
recruitment and hiring process and to extend offers for employment
for
and
to hire
all
faculty and staff of the center, and to terminate employment of all
staff.
The
director's authority includes determining the salary, tenure, and
rank of faculty. The director may seek advice from faculty outside of
the center but shall not be required to seek or receive such advice.
The
director shall
have
the sole, exclusive, and unlimited authority to
oversee,
develop, and approve the center's curriculum, including
approval
which
of
the center's courses
that
the
director, in the director's sole and exclusive discretion, determines
meet
the university's general education requirements. The center shall
be
granted
have
the
authority to offer courses
independently
and
develop certificate, minor, and major programs as well as graduate
programs, and offer degrees.
(F)
(F)(1)
The director of the center shall submit an annual report to the board
of trustees of the university and the general assembly in accordance
with section 101.68 of the Revised Code. The report shall provide a
full account of the center's achievements, opportunities, challenges,
and obstacles in the development of this academic unit.
(2)
The president or provost of the university shall report to the board
of trustees at every board meeting on the progress of the center
toward achieving its mission and the university's support for the
center, including its academic program development, faculty and staff
hiring, facility, and development and advancement.
Sec.
3344.07.
(A)(1)
The Cleveland state university center for civics, culture, and
society is established as an independent academic unit within
Cleveland state university.
The
center shall have all the rights and privileges of an independent
college of the university.
The
center shall conduct teaching and research in the historical ideas,
traditions, and texts that have shaped the American constitutional
order and society.
(2)
The center shall establish bylaws requiring the center to do all of
the following:
(a)
Educate students by means of free, open, and rigorous intellectual
inquiry to seek the truth;
(b)
Affirm its duty to equip students with the skills, habits, and
dispositions of mind they need to reach their own informed
conclusions on matters of social and political importance;
(c)
Affirm the value of intellectual diversity in higher education and
aspire to enhance the intellectual diversity of the university;
(d)
Affirm a commitment to create a community dedicated to an ethic of
civil and free inquiry, which respects the intellectual freedom of
each member, supports individual capacities for growth, and welcomes
the differences of opinion that shall naturally exist in a public
university community.
The
requirements prescribed under divisions (A)(2)(a) to (d) of this
section shall take priority over any other bylaws adopted by the
center.
(3)
The board of trustees of the university may name the center in
accordance with the philanthropic naming policies and practices of
the university.
(B)(1)
The center shall be an independent academic unit physically located
at the college of public affairs and education with the authority to
house tenure-track faculty who hold their appointments within the
center. Faculty appointed to the center shall not be required, but
may, hold joint appointments within any other division of the
university. Not fewer than ten tenure-track faculty positions shall
be allotted to teach under the center. No faculty outside of the
center shall have the authority to block faculty hires into the
center.
No faculty outside of the center shall have a role in center faculty
promotion and tenure, except with the consent of the director.
(2)
The university shall provide adequate and appropriate space for the
center as jointly determined by the director and either the president
or provost of the university. The university shall not charge or
assess overhead or indirect fees, costs, expenses, or charges to the
center.
Nothing
in this section precludes the ability for the center to apply for
external funding opportunities and negotiate overhead charges as
jointly determined by the director and either the president or
provost of the university.
(3)
The university shall provide adequate annual financial resources to
the center to achieve its mission, as determined by the director. The
sum of the annual money transferred from the university to the center
plus the annual appropriation from the state to the center shall not
be less than the highest annual appropriation provided by the state
to the center in a main operating appropriation act.
(4)
Notwithstanding any university budget allocation methodology to the
contrary, the center shall receive all tuition and other revenue from
all of the courses it offers, subject only to charges applied to all
other academic units.
(5)
The center shall have the authority to create independent endowments,
both temporary and permanent, and a foundation for the sole benefit
of the center and place funds from whatever source, including gifts,
donations, grants, university funds and state appropriations, in such
endowments.
(C)(1)
The center shall offer instruction in all of the following:
(a)
The books and major debates which form the intellectual foundation of
free societies, especially that of the United States;
(b)
The principles, ideals, and institutions of the American
constitutional order;
(c)
The foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship.
(2)
The center also shall focus on both of the following:
(a)
Offering university-wide programming related to the values of free
speech and civil discourse;
(b)
Expanding the intellectual diversity of the university's academic
community.
(D)(1)
The board of trustees of the university shall appoint, with the
advice and consent of the senate, a seven-member center academic
council. An initial member shall not begin service until confirmed by
the senate. Four members shall form a quorum.
(2)
The academic council shall be comprised of scholars with relevant
expertise and experience. Not more than one member of the council may
be an employee of the university. Best efforts shall be made to have
not fewer than three members of the advisory board be from Ohio.
(3)
Three members of the academic council shall serve initial terms of
two years and four members shall serve initial terms of four years,
which the members shall determine at their first meeting, and select
replacements for vacant seats.
(E)(1)
The academic council established under division (D) of this section
shall conduct a nationwide search for candidates for the director of
the center and shall strictly adhere to all relevant state and
federal laws. The academic council shall submit to the president of
the university a list of finalists from which the president shall
select and appoint a director, subject to approval by the board of
trustees. Future directors shall be chosen in the same manner.
(2)
The director shall have the protection of tenure or tenure
eligibility. The director shall report directly to the provost or the
president of the university.
(3)
The director shall have the sole and exclusive authority to manage
all
aspects of
the
recruitment and hiring process and to extend offers for employment
for
and
to hire
all
faculty and staff of the center, and to terminate employment of all
staff.
The
director's authority includes determining the salary, tenure, and
rank of faculty. The director may seek advice from faculty outside of
the center but shall not be required to seek or receive such advice.
The
director shall
have
the sole, exclusive, and unlimited authority to
oversee,
develop, and approve the center's curriculum, including
approval
which
of
the center's courses
that
the
director, in the director's sole and exclusive discretion, determines
meet
the university's general education requirements. The center shall
be
granted
have
the
authority to offer courses
independently
and
develop certificate, minor, and major programs as well as graduate
programs, and offer degrees.
(F)
(F)(1)
The director of the center shall submit an annual report to the board
of trustees of the university and the general assembly in accordance
with section 101.68 of the Revised Code. The report shall provide a
full account of the center's achievements, opportunities, challenges,
and obstacles in the development of this academic unit.
(2)
The president or provost of the university shall report to the board
of trustees at every board meeting on the progress of the center
toward achieving its mission and the university's support for the
center, including its academic program development, faculty and staff
hiring, facility, and development and advancement.
Sec.
3345.382.
(A)
As used in this section
,
"state
:
(1)
"Academic civics center" means one of the academic civic
centers as defined in section 3345.58 of the Revised Code.
(2)
"College credit plus program" means the college credit plus
program established under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code.
(3)
"Ohio civics board" means the Ohio civics board established
under section 3345.58 of the Revised Code.
(4)
"State
institution
of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011
of the Revised Code.
(B)
This
division is subject to division (F) of this section.
Each
state institution of higher education shall develop a course with not
fewer than three credit hours in the subject area of American civic
literacy. The course shall include a study of the American economic
system and capitalism. The course shall comply with the criteria,
policies, and procedures established under section 3333.16 of the
Revised Code. The course may be offered under the college credit plus
program
established under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code
.
The course shall, at a minimum, require each student to read all the
following:
(1)
The entire Constitution of the United States;
(2)
The entire Declaration of Independence;
(3)
A minimum of five essays in their entirety from the Federalist
Papers. The essays shall be selected by the department chair.
(4)
The entire Emancipation Proclamation;
(5)
The entire Gettysburg Address;
(6)
The entire Letter from Birmingham Jail written by Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr;
(7)
The writings of Adam Smith, including a study of the principles
written in The Wealth of Nations.
Any
student who takes the course shall be required to pass a cumulative
final examination at the conclusion of the course that assesses
student proficiency about the documents described in divisions (B)(1)
to (7) of this section.
Each
state institution of higher education board of trustees shall adopt a
resolution approving a plan to offer the course developed under this
section. Each state institution shall submit that plan to the
chancellor of higher education. The chancellor shall review and
approve each plan. Prior to approving a plan, the chancellor may
require a state institution to revise the plan and the course.
Each
state institution of higher education board of trustees also shall
adopt a resolution specifying the conditions under which the state
institution's president or designee may exempt a student under
division (D)(3) of this section.
(C)
Beginning with students who graduate from a state institution of
higher education in the spring semester, or equivalent quarter, of
the 2029-2030 academic year, no state institution of higher education
shall grant a bachelor's degree to any student unless the student
completes a course described in division (B) of this section. A state
institution may require students to complete the course as part of
the institution's general education courses of study.
(D)
This
division is subject to division (F) of this section.
The
president of a state institution of higher education, or the
president's designee, may exempt a student from the requirement to
complete a course described in division (B) of this section, if the
president or designee determines that the student has completed at
least one of the following:
(1)
A course offered under the college credit plus program established
under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code that satisfies the content
requirements described in division (B) of this section and is
approved by the chancellor;
(2)
An advanced placement course and examination that satisfy the content
requirements described in division (B) of this section and are
approved by the chancellor, and the student receives a score of three
or higher on that examination;
(3)
At least three credit hours, or the equivalent, in a course in the
subject area of American history or American government which
includes the study of the documents described in divisions (B)(1) to
(7) of this section.
Division
(D)(3) of this section does not apply after the 2030-2031 academic
year.
(E)
This section does not apply to associate's degree programs.
(F)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section, beginning
with the 2027-2028 academic year, all of the following apply:
(1)
The Ohio civics board has sole and exclusive authority over all
aspects of American civic literacy courses established under this
section, including course modality, syllabi, class size, faculty
teachers, and course content.
(2)
American civic literacy courses offered by a state institution are
subject to the approval of the board. The board may adopt standard,
uniform, or model American civic literacy courses for use, exclusive
or otherwise, in the board's judgment, in state institutions.
(3)
In each state institution that has an academic civics center, the
civics center, or its designee, shall be the exclusive provider of
any American civic literacy course in that institution. The academic
civics center that provides an American civic literacy course shall
receive the tuition, state share of instruction, and all other
standard revenues associated with that course in the state
institution. The academic civics center may designate providers of
the American civic literacy course in its institution on such terms
and conditions, as determined by the center's director.
(4)
In each state institution that does not have an academic civics
center, the institution shall utilize an American civic literacy
course approved by the Ohio civics board. Such a state institution
may contract with an academic civics center for the center to offer
the course at the institution.
(5)
The Ohio civics board has sole and exclusive authority over any
American civic literacy class offered under the college credit plus
program. The board shall determine whether and under what conditions
such a course shall be offered. The board may license and authorize
the offering of such a course on terms and conditions identified by
the board.
Sec.
3345.58.
(A)
As used in this section:
(1)
"Academic civics centers" means the following institutes or
centers:
(a)
The center at the Ohio state university established under section
3335.39 of the Revised Code;
(b)
The center at Miami university established under section 3339.06 of
the Revised Code;
(c)
The center at Cleveland state university established under section
3344.07 of the Revised Code;
(d)
The center at Wright state university established under section
3352.16 of the Revised Code;
(e)
The institute at the university of Toledo established under section
3364.07 of the Revised Code.
(2)
"State institution of higher education" has the same
meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.
(B)
(B)(1)
The Ohio civics board is established. The board shall consist of the
directors of the academic civics centers, who shall serve as ex
officio members. If an academic civics center does not have a
director, then the center's acting or interim director shall serve on
behalf of that center until a director is selected. No additional
appointment or confirmation by any authority is required for
membership.
(2)
The board may hire, fix the compensation of, and remove a director
and such number of employees as the board determines necessary.
(C)
The board shall do all of the following:
(1)
Support the academic civics centers to more effectively pursue their
mission of teaching and research in the historical ideas, traditions,
and texts that have shaped the American and Ohio constitutional order
and society;
(2)
Aid voluntary cooperation and coordination between the academic
civics centers, including coordinating intercollegiate efforts and
initiatives among the centers to promote collaboration and serve the
entire state of Ohio;
(3)
Advise the general assembly and chancellor of higher education on
matters pertaining to civic education, including best practices,
program development, and statewide initiatives to enhance civic
literacy and engagement;
(4)
Advise the general assembly and chancellor on curriculum development
and standards in state institutions of higher education and primary
and secondary public education providers, and on the operations of
the academic civics centers;
(5)
Assist the academic councils of the academic civics centers in
fulfilling their statutory duties, including facilitating the
selection process for directors of each center
;
(6)
Beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, exercise sole and
exclusive authority over all aspects of American civic literacy
courses established under section 3345.382 of the Revised Code,
including course modality, syllabi, class size, faculty teachers, and
course content;
(7)
Determine an annual amount to be contributed by each of the academic
civics centers to support the board's operations
.
(D)
Each
of the academic civics centers shall annually pay to the board the
amount determined under division (C)(7) of this section in a form and
manner determined by the board.
(E)
The
board shall annually elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from
among its members. The chairperson shall preside over meetings and
serve as the primary liaison to the chancellor and the general
assembly. The vice-chairperson shall perform the duties of the
chairperson in the absence of the chairperson.
The
board shall meet as necessary at the call of the chairperson or on
the written request of three or more members of the board. The board
shall meet at least twice annually.
A
majority of the members of the board constitutes a quorum, and the
votes of a majority of the quorum present are required to validate
any action of the board, including recommendations.
The
members of the board shall serve without compensation, but each
member shall be reimbursed for the member's actual and necessary
expenses incurred in the performance of the member's official duties
on the board.
(E)
(F)
The board shall submit an annual report to the general assembly and
the chancellor not later than the first day of December each year.
The report shall detail the board's activities, recommendations, and
findings related to civic education, higher education curricula,
primary and secondary public education curricula, and the operations
of the academic civics centers.
(F)
(G)
The board, in consultation with the chancellor, may adopt rules under
Chapter 119. of the Revised Code as necessary to implement this
section.
Sec.
3352.16.
(A)(1)
The Wright state university center for civics, culture, and workforce
development is established as an independent academic division within
Wright state university, physically located on the Dayton campus of
Wright state university.
The
center shall have all the rights and privileges of an independent
college of the university.
The
center shall conduct teaching and research in the historical ideas,
traditions, and texts that have shaped the American constitutional
order and society and the United States armed forces.
(2)
The center shall establish bylaws requiring the center to do all of
the following:
(a)
Educate students by means of free, open, and rigorous intellectual
inquiry to seek the truth;
(b)
Affirm its duty to equip students with the skills, habits, and
dispositions of mind they need to reach their own informed
conclusions on matters of social and political importance;
(c)
Affirm the value of intellectual diversity in higher education and
aspire to enhance the intellectual diversity of the university;
(d)
Affirm a commitment to create a community dedicated to an ethic of
civil and free inquiry, which respects the intellectual freedom of
each member, supports individual capacities for growth, and welcomes
the differences of opinion that shall naturally exist in a public
university community.
The
requirements prescribed under divisions (A)(2)(a) to (d) of this
section shall take priority over any other bylaws adopted by the
center.
(3)
The board of trustees of the university may name the center in
accordance with the philanthropic naming policies and practices of
the university.
(B)(1)
The center shall be an independent academic division, physically
located on the Dayton campus of Wright state university, with the
authority to house faculty who hold their appointments within the
center. Faculty appointed to the center shall not be required, but
may, hold joint appointments within any other division of the
university. No faculty outside of the center shall have the authority
to block faculty hires into the center.
No
faculty outside of the center shall have a role in center faculty
promotion and tenure, except with the consent of the director.
No
university policy shall govern the development and approval of
curriculum within the center.
(2)
The university shall provide adequate and appropriate space for the
center as jointly determined by the director and either the president
or provost of the university. The university shall not charge or
assess overhead or indirect fees, costs, expenses, or charges to the
center.
Nothing
in this section precludes the ability for the center to apply for
external funding opportunities and negotiate overhead charges as
jointly determined by the director and either the president or
provost of the university.
(3)
The university shall provide adequate annual financial resources to
the center to achieve its mission, as determined by the director. The
sum of the annual money transferred from the university to the center
plus the annual appropriation from the state to the center shall not
be less than the highest annual appropriation provided by the state
to the center in a main operating appropriation act.
(4)
Notwithstanding any university budget allocation methodology to the
contrary, the center shall receive all tuition and other revenue from
all of the courses it offers, subject only to charges applied to all
other academic units.
(5)
The center shall have the authority to create independent endowments,
both temporary and permanent, and a foundation for the sole benefit
of the center and place funds from whatever source, including gifts,
donations, grants, university funds and state appropriations, in such
endowments.
(C)(1)
The center shall offer instruction in all of the following:
(a)
The books and major debates which form the intellectual foundation of
free societies, especially that of the United States;
(b)
The principles, ideals, and institutions of the American
constitutional order, including the United States armed forces;
(c)
The foundations of responsible leadership and informed citizenship;
(d)
The origins, purpose, and role of Wright-Patterson air force base and
surrounding defense-related industries in supporting the United
States;
(e)
The workforce needs of Wright-Patterson air force base and industries
that support the base.
(2)
The center also shall focus on all of the following:
(a)
Offering university-wide programming related to the values of free
speech and civil discourse;
(b)
Expanding the intellectual diversity of the university's academic
community;
(c)
Increasing the awareness of Wright-Patterson air force base and
supporting workforce needs to sustain and attract missions at the
base.
(D)(1)
The board of trustees of the university shall appoint, with the
advice and consent of the senate, a seven-member center academic
council. An initial member shall not begin service until confirmed by
the senate. Four members shall form a quorum.
(2)
The academic council shall be comprised of scholars with relevant
expertise and experience. Not more than three members of the council
may be employees of the university. Best efforts shall be made to
have not fewer than three members of the advisory board be from Ohio.
(3)
Three members of the academic council shall serve initial terms of
two years and four members shall serve initial terms of four years,
which the members shall determine at their first meeting, and select
replacements for vacant seats.
(E)(1)
The academic council established under division (D) of this section
shall conduct a nationwide search for candidates for the director of
the center and shall strictly adhere to all relevant state and
federal laws. The academic council shall submit to the president of
the university a list of finalists from which the president shall
select and appoint a director, subject to approval by the board of
trustees. Future directors shall be chosen in the same manner.
(2)
The director shall consult with the provost; however, the director
shall report directly to the president of the university.
(3)
The director shall have the sole and exclusive authority to manage
all
aspects of
the
recruitment and hiring process and to extend offers for employment
for
and
to hire
all
faculty and staff of the center, and to terminate employment of all
staff, subject to the approval of the board of trustees of the
university.
The
director's authority includes determining the salary, tenure, and
rank of faculty. The director may seek advice from faculty outside of
the center but shall not be required to seek or receive such advice.
The
director shall
have
the sole, exclusive, and unlimited authority to
oversee,
develop, and approve the center's curriculum, including
approval
which
of
the center's courses
that
the
director, in the director's sole and exclusive discretion, determines
meet
the university's general education requirements. The center shall
be
granted
have
the
authority to offer courses independently and develop certificate,
minor, and major programs as well as graduate programs, and offer
degrees.
(4)
Notwithstanding section 3333.164 of the Revised Code, the center
shall develop a set of standards and procedures to maximize the
granting of academic credit for military training, experience, and
coursework.
(5)
Notwithstanding section 3333.31 of the Revised Code, Wright state
university shall not charge more than its in-state instructional and
general fees to any current or honorably discharged member of the
United States armed forces, or the spouse or dependents of such a
member, who enrolls in a program offered by the center, regardless of
whether that member, spouse, or dependent is a resident of this state
under rules adopted under section 3333.31 of the Revised Code.
(F)
(F)(1)
The director of the center shall submit an annual report to the board
of trustees of the university and the general assembly in accordance
with section 101.68 of the Revised Code. The report shall provide a
full account of the center's achievements, opportunities, challenges,
and obstacles in the development of this academic division.
(2)
The president or provost of the university shall report to the board
of trustees at every board meeting on the progress of the center
toward achieving its mission and the university's support for the
center, including its academic program development, faculty and staff
hiring, facility, and development and advancement.
Sec.
3364.07.
(A)(1)
The institute of American constitutional thought and leadership is
established for the purpose of creating and disseminating knowledge
about American constitutional thought
and
to form future leaders of the legal profession
through
research, scholarship, teaching, collaboration, and mentorship. The
institute shall be an independent academic unit within the university
of Toledo.
The
institute shall have all the rights and privileges of an independent
college of the university.
(2)
The university shall provide adequate and appropriate space for the
institute as jointly determined by the director and either the
president or provost of the university. The university shall not
charge or assess overhead or indirect fees, costs, expenses, or
charges to the institute.
Nothing
in this section precludes the ability for the institute to apply for
external funding opportunities and negotiate overhead charges as
jointly determined by the director and either the president or
provost of the university.
(3)
The university shall provide adequate annual financial resources to
the institute to achieve its mission, as determined by the director.
The sum of the annual money transferred from the university to the
institute plus the annual appropriation from the state to the
institute shall not be less than the highest annual appropriation
provided by the state to the institute in a main operating
appropriation act.
(4)
Notwithstanding any university budget allocation methodology to the
contrary, the institute shall receive all tuition and other revenue
from all of the courses it offers, subject only to charges applied to
all other academic units.
(5)
The institute shall have the authority to create independent
endowments, both temporary and permanent, and a foundation for the
sole benefit of the institute and place funds from whatever source,
including gifts, donations, grants, university funds and state
appropriations, in such endowments.
(B)
The institute shall pursue all of the following goals:
(1)
To enrich the curriculum in American constitutional studies,
including the core texts and great debates of western civilization;
(2)
To educate university students in the principles, ideals, and
institutions of the American and Ohio constitutional order;
(3)
To educate university students in the foundations of responsible
leadership and informed citizenship and to cultivate the next
generation of leaders in the legal profession;
(4)
To offer university-wide programming related to the values of open
inquiry and civil discourse;
(5)
To expand the intellectual diversity of the university's academic
community and to create a rich forum for the development of ideas
across the political and ideological spectrum;
(6)
To support faculty and graduate student scholarship that advances
understanding of American constitutional thought and institutions;
(7)
To promote scholarly collaboration within the university and beyond;
(8)
To host lectures, debates, and symposia, and sponsor visiting
scholars, jurists, and teachers.
(C)
The institute shall adhere to the following policies:
(1)
The institute shall educate students by means of free, open, and
rigorous intellectual inquiry to seek the truth.
(2)
The institute shall equip students with the skills, habits, and
dispositions of mind they need to reach their own informed
conclusions on matters of legal, social, and political importance.
(3)
The institute shall value intellectual diversity in higher education,
including in faculty recruitment, hiring, and appointment, and aspire
to enhance the intellectual diversity of academic life at the
university.
(4)
The institute shall create a community dedicated to an ethic of civil
and free inquiry, which respects the intellectual freedom of each
member, supports individual capacities for growth, and welcomes the
differences of opinion that naturally occur in a public university
community.
(D)(1)
The talent, compensation, and governance committee of the board of
trustees of the university, if such a committee exists, shall
appoint, with the advice and consent of the senate, a seven-member
institute academic council. If no such committee exists, the board of
trustees shall appoint members under this division. An initial member
shall not begin service until confirmed by the senate. Four members
shall form a quorum.
(2)
The academic council shall be comprised of scholars with relevant
expertise and experience. Not more than one member of the council may
be an employee of the university. Best efforts shall be made to have
not fewer than three members of the council be from Ohio.
(3)
Three members of the academic council shall serve initial terms of
two years and four members shall serve initial terms of four years,
which the members shall determine at their first meeting, and select
replacements for vacant seats.
(4)
To fill a vacancy for the institute director after the initial
director, following a national search, the academic council shall
transmit to the president a list of finalists from which the
president shall select a director, subject to the approval of the
talent, compensation, and governance committee of the board of
trustees.
(E)(1)
The institute shall be led by a director who shall report directly to
the president and provost of the university. The president of the
university shall appoint the director. The director shall be an
expert of the western tradition, the American founding, and American
constitutional thought, and shall have shown a commitment to the
purposes, goals, and policies of the institute. The director's term
shall be for five years and shall be renewable.
(2)
The director shall have the protection of tenure or tenure
eligibility. Any existing tenure with the university held by a
director shall be maintained with the university.
(F)
The institute shall be an independent academic unit of the university
with the authority to house tenure-track faculty who hold their
appointments within the institute. Not fewer than five tenure-track
faculty positions shall be allotted to the institute. Faculty
appointed within the institute shall not be required, but may be
permitted, to hold joint or courtesy appointments within any other
division of the university. No faculty from outside the institute
shall have the authority to block faculty hires into the institute.
No
faculty outside of the institute shall have a role in institute
faculty promotion and tenure, except with the consent of the
director.
(G)(1)
The director shall have the sole and exclusive authority to manage
all
aspects of
the
recruitment and hiring process and to extend offers for employment
and
to hire
for
all faculty and staff, and to terminate employment of all staff.
The
director's authority includes determining the salary, tenure, and
rank of faculty. The director may seek advice from faculty outside of
the center but shall not be required to seek or receive such advice.
The
director shall
have
the sole, exclusive, and unlimited authority to
oversee,
develop, and approve the institute's curriculum, including
approval
which
of
the institute's courses
that
the
director, in the director's sole and exclusive discretion, determines
meet
the university's general education requirements. The institute shall
be
granted
have
the
authority to offer courses
independently
and
develop certificate, minor, major, and graduate programs, and offer
degrees.
(2)
Employment contracts offered under division (G)(1) of this section to
tenure-track faculty appointed to the institute shall guarantee
reappointment elsewhere in the university, at the same rank and
compensation, in the event the institute is discontinued.
(H)
(H)(1)
The director of the institute shall submit an annual report to the
board of trustees of the university and the general assembly in
accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code. The report shall
provide a full account of the institute's achievements,
opportunities, challenges, and obstacles in the development of this
academic unit.
(2)
The president or provost of the university shall report to the board
of trustees at every board meeting on the progress of the center
toward achieving its mission and the university's support for the
center, including its academic program development, faculty and staff
hiring, facility, and development and advancement.
(I)
(I)(1)
Beginning January 1, 2027, the institute of American constitutional
thought and leadership shall be known as the school of American
constitutional thought and leadership, and the director shall serve
as dean of the school. On and after that date, whenever the term
"institute" is used, referred to, or designated in any
statute, rule, contract, grant, or other document, the use,
reference, or designation shall be construed to mean the "school"
unless another section of law expressly provides otherwise.
(2)
The board of trustees of the university may change the name of the
institute in accordance with the philanthropic naming policies and
practices of the university.
Section
2.
That
existing sections 3335.39, 3339.06, 3344.07, 3345.382, 3345.58,
3352.16, and 3364.07 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section
3.
This
act shall be known as the Strengthening Ohio Civics Act.