State Share of Instruction (SSI) — the main funding stream of state subsidy to public colleges and universities — has been cut 4.38% from its original budget allocation for this fiscal year (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021). This is on top of the 3.8% cut that was made from original budget allocations for the previous fiscal year.

These are across-the-board reductions, and we must keep in mind that the SSI funding formula, which is based primarily on course completions and graduations, impacts colleges and universities in varying ways aside from these cuts.

In other words, based on your institution’s “performance” in those areas, your college or university may be dealing with even less SSI, or may have greater SSI that will help offset these losses. You can see the first half SSI projections for Fiscal Year 2021 here on the ODHE website.

Additionally, there is no guarantee that the 4.38% reduction will be the only cut to SSI this fiscal year. If Ohio continues to struggle with unemployment and insufficient tax receipts, additional cuts may be considered.

Despite SSI cuts, the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG), which is a need-based grant program available to students who attend public or private colleges and universities in the state, will remain unscathed.

Most institutions had been bracing for upwards of a 20% SSI reduction. This is precisely why we have advocated that institutions should not be making drastic decisions with insufficient information. We appreciate that Chancellor Randy Gardner and his team at ODHE fought to maintain as much SSI funding as possible.

However, cuts are cuts, and these are coming at a time when higher education cannot afford additional hits. To our knowledge, no other cuts to the FY 2021 budget have been announced. Higher education, it seems, is only a priority when it comes to disinvestment.

The Ohio Conference AAUP is working with allied organizations to lobby the state and federal governments for resources that will restore lost funding and help put our institutions back on better financial footing. State government must look at using the “Rainy Day Fund” and revenue options, and we desperately need a second federal stimulus/relief bill with direct support for higher education.

National AAUP has a letter campaign to federal lawmakers urging more aid. It only takes a minute to fill in your name and address and send the pre-filled message. Please take action and help circulate.

Throughout these financial crises, the Ohio Conference and National AAUP have been providing as much support as possible to chapters and individual members. We know that these are deeply unsettling times, but we are doing our best to help protect the interests of faculty and the academic missions of our institutions.

We also want to recognize the leadership and activists at our chapters who have been working tirelessly to defend their contracts and faculty handbooks. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Keep fighting!

On Thursday, July 9, Gov. DeWine announced reopening guidelines for institutions of higher education. The document outlines “Minimum Operating Standards” as well as “Recommended Best Practices.” Generally, the state is requiring that institutions comply with CDC and state guidelines, but leave the bulk of decisions to individual institutions.

Additionally, the governor announced that all public and private two- and four- year institutions of higher education would be receiving a combined $200 million in funding (from the CARES Act) to assist with the implementation of COVID safety measures. The funds must be approved by the State Controlling Board, which is expected to happen next week.

A group of Midwest AAUP chapters and state conferences (including a number of Ohio chapters and the Ohio Conference) have collaborated in response to the prospect of college and university campuses reopening amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coalition issued the following statement: “Protecting Lives, Promoting Education: Principles for Reopening Campuses,” which outlines the principles that should be considered in discussions of campus reopenings.

The group held a virtual press conference on July 2 to promote the statement to media throughout the region, which helped the statement get coverage in several Ohio newspapers and Statehouse news sources.

Ten years ago, Joel O’Dorisio was campaigning for a faculty union at Bowling Green State University. Ten years later, he has been campaigning to be the next State Senator for Ohio’s 2nd District.

Some political candidates “talk the talk” of support for public education and labor, but BGSU Art Professor Joel O’Dorisio walks the walk.

Not only did Prof. O’Dorisio help the BGSU Faculty Association win their union a decade ago, but he has been a chapter officer and negotiating team member. He has fought for paid parental leave, LGBTQ protections, increased job security for non-tenured faculty, access to promotion for full-time faculty, and generally the conditions necessary for great teaching and research at his university.

Even though O’Dorisio was outspent heavily in his primary race, he believes his strong pro-worker and pro-public education messages — propelled by an active volunteer base and energetic campaigning — put him over the top.

“In speaking to voters throughout the 2nd District, it was obvious that they are hungry for representatives in Columbus that will work unabashedly for the people, who understand the hardships of everyday workers, and who want to ensure quality education is a right and not just a luxury of the few,” he said.

While Ohio’s 2nd State Senate District (seen below, comprising Wood, Erie, Ottawa, as well as portions of Lucas and Fulton counties) traditionally has been a Republican stronghold, O’Dorisio and political pundits believe the district can be flipped.

His opponent in November, State Senator Theresa Gavarone, was appointed to her seat, so also is running district-wide for the first time. While Gavarone and the Senate Republican Caucus will have a significant fundraising advantage, O’Dorisio believes that small donations from individuals and continuing to outwork his opposition will give him the boost he needs to be successful.

“We must begin to bring back balance to the Ohio Senate with qualified, compassionate leadership,” O’Dorisio said. The Ohio Senate currently has a 24-9 Republican to Democrat split.

To learn more about AAUP member Joel O’Dorisio and his candidacy, visit his campaign website.

If you’d like to make a secure online contribution to his campaign, you can do so here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a tumultuous time in Ohio higher education. The emergency shutdown of our colleges and universities has drastically changed the nature of instruction, as well as the financial situations of our institutions.

This past semester, faculty across Ohio rose to the challenge of moving courses online, holding virtual office hours, adapting materials, and doing everything in our power to ensure that our students stayed on track. This was no small feat, but we are committed to our students’ success. 

Unfortunately, refunds to students, student withdrawals, reductions in state subsidy, and other issues culminated in severe budget problems for institutions, many of which were already dealing with financial troubles. This has resulted in numerous terminations of vital faculty and staff.

Despite strong online summer enrollments at a number of institutions, the fall semester remains a question mark. Undoubtedly, a major part of the college and university experience for students is physically being on campus — being among peers and engaging in face-to-face instruction. 

Many Ohio institutions already have announced broad plans for a physical return to campus. We are keenly aware that the financial impact of not being on campus at all may result in a further erosion of revenue that would be unsustainable for most institutions.

However, the leading medical experts in our state and nation have called into question the safety of being on campus again this year. The nature of living in residence calls, sharing enclosed spaces such as lecture halls, as well as student gatherings on and off campus facilitate a breeding ground for infectious diseases like COVID-19. 

We call upon each college and university administration to work closely with faculty, staff, and students on developing plans for fall semester. Among the issues that should be addressed if face-to-face instruction should resume in any fashion: 

1. The preservation of academic freedom by granting faculty the final say in instructional delivery, with special considerations given to faculty with underlying medical conditions;
2. Required mask-wearing and encouragement of frequent hand-washing/sanitizing;
3. Initial and periodic testing of students and faculty for infection, especially since many who are infected remain asymptomatic; contact tracing and isolation for anyone who tests positive; 
4. Reconfiguration of classrooms, residence halls, and dining halls to ensure proper physical distancing;
5. Other measures that encourage the entire campus community to practice social distancing and good hygiene. 

No matter the precautions taken, there is great risk in moving forward with campus re-openings. The only way to successfully avoid compromising the health and safety of faculty, staff, and students is for everyone in our campus communities to buy-in to a new (hopefully temporary) culture that focuses on safety. The only way to have buy-in is for everyone to participate in these critical decisions.