Ohio Republican Sen. Jerry Cirino introduced Senate Bill 461 to expand the authority of directors of five state-created civics centers at public universities, including control over curriculum development and internal faculty matters such as hiring and tenure. The bill would also require universities to provide funding determined by the center directors. Faculty governance groups say the legislation would intrude on shared governance. The Ohio State University chapter of the American Association of University Professors argues the civics center model already contradicts faculty norms, and that the director-led structure can bypass OSU policy. The legislation also positions the Ohio Civics Board—composed of civics center directors—as the sole authority over American civics literacy courses at public universities, including their faculty and course content. For public university leadership and faculty unions, SB 461 raises the stakes for compliance, governance processes, and academic freedom—especially as similar state-driven civics initiatives expand in multiple Republican-led states.