Press Release

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) has launched a statewide plan for preventing hazing at colleges and universities across the state.

The plan includes a model anti-hazing policy as well as guidelines for various college and university stakeholders to use in developing and implementing anti-hazing education and training programs. Materials in the plan were created in response to Senate Bill 126, also referred to as Collin’s Law in honor of Collin Wiant, an 18-year-old man who died in a hazing incident in 2018. 

Funding awards totaling nearly $1.8 million have been announced as part of a state initiative to increase the number of students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

Ohio has been selected to receive federal funding under the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant.

The grant – from the U.S. Department of Education – is designed to help low-income and first-generation college students prepare for college and receive the support needed to achieve success in postsecondary education.

Ohio will receive $4 million annually for seven years to reduce barriers to college access and completion by:

A second round of funding has been announced for a statewide initiative aiming to improve the number of students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed into law Ohio’s new state budget. Chancellor Randy Gardner said the new budget aims to meet the needs of students and employers, positioning Ohio for enhanced education attainment and a strengthened economy.

“This budget continues the DeWine Administration’s focus on student-centered education policies, addressing affordability and accessibility of higher education that brightens Ohio’s economic future,” Chancellor Gardner said.

Budget highlights pertaining to higher education include:

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), with the support of the presidents and provosts at each of Ohio’s public colleges and universities, today announced the Ohio Transfer Promise, a recommitment of the institutions of higher education to Ohio’s statewide transfer initiatives and policies.  

Randy Gardner, Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education, Paolo DeMaria, Ohio’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Mr. Marko Đurić, H.E. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Serbia to the United States of America, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Educational Cooperation on Friday, May 14. The document pledges that the parties will continue and strengthen the cooperation at the level of primary, secondary, and higher education.

Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) Chancellor Randy Gardner today announced he has issued formal guidance to Ohio’s public colleges and universities allowing for the creation of a voluntary program that would offer student debt relief in exchange for re-enrollment. The guidance, branded as College Comeback, would enable institutions to follow the example of public institutions who already offer these opportunities.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) has announced the rebranding of its Ohio Transfer Module to a new name – Ohio Transfer 36 – with a new logo. The Ohio Transfer Module was introduced in 1990 to ensure the seamless transfer of core general education courses among Ohio public community colleges and universities.  

Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner is recognizing In-Demand Jobs Week with events celebrating applied bachelor’s degrees and innovation at three community colleges and the University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub.