State Representatives Tim Brown (R-Bowling Green) and Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) have announced
passage of their jointly sponsored bill, House Bill 484, legislation that modifies laws regarding the
state’s colleges and universities, from the Ohio House of Representatives.
One of the many bills within the governor’s Mid-Biennial Review, House Bill 484 authorizes community
colleges to create a tuition guarantee program, where schools establish a tuition cost for incoming
freshmen with the promise that the costs will not increase over the course of the student’s time at the
college. This bill includes new performance based funding formulas for both Ohio community colleges and
Ohio technical centers that are based on student outcomes and attainment.
"It represents a benchmark that Ohio is trying to set for higher education as a whole. We continue
in our attempt to provide greater access and attainment for all Ohioans," said Rosenberger.
"As legislation is enacted, Owens Community College will review the impact on current policy and
students to determine what changes, if any, need to be made and the best strategy for moving forward
with those changes," said Jared Meade, manager of public and media relations for the college.
Owens is the only community college in Wood County.
"This bill encourages schools to strive for student success by rewarding student achievement. It
also provides a frameworks to use innovative strategies to allow families to better prepare for the cost
of higher education. Finally, we recognize the need for continued conversation and evaluation of our
current programs and we have required a vision of progress, due to the Chancellor by December
2014," Rosenberger continued.
Additionally, the bill creates the Higher Education Student Financial Aid Workgroup to examine the range
of student financial aid in Ohio and submit recommendations to the governor and the General Assembly by
the end of this year. The workgroup consists of the chancellor of the Board of Regents, members from
several associations representing universities and community colleges, state legislators, and
representatives from the Ohio Department of Veterans Services and the Ohio Association of Student
Financial Aid Officers.
HB 484 also repeals existing enrollment limits for the central campuses of Bowling Green State
University, Kent State University, Miami University, Ohio University and The Ohio State University.
Finally, the legislation requires each state university, as well as the Northeast Ohio Medical University
(NEOMED), to issue a report of its faculty workload policy and practices, and to submit recommendations
to the Chancellor of the Board of Regents to modify those policies by June 30, 2017.
House Bill 484 now heads to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.