Columbus, OhioWith promises that everyone is welcome and will have the freedom to develop at a university that values all viewpoints, Eastern Michigan University has started an advertising campaign to entice Ohio students.
Are you sick of limitations? An advertisement that debuted in May says, “Cross the border to opportunity.” Residents of Ohio are eligible for in-state tuition at EMU.
Ohio Senate Bill 1, which was intended to control professors at public schools and institutions, is the target of the advertisements. GOP leaders claimed that conservative students self-censor because of liberal professors’ opinions. Along with dozens of other regulations, SB 1 also prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion.
An advertisement that started airing in mid-June states that you are free to be who you are at EMU.No tuition fees from outside the state.
The university in Ypsilanti, Michigan, seems to be the first institution to take advantage of Ohio’s contentious new law, which went into force on June 27. Targeting SB 1 and Ohio students, the school ran at least 11 advertisements with Meta.
According to the Meta Ad Library, the advertisements show up on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Messenger, and the FacebookAudience Network, which reaches thousands of mobile apps that are not under Meta’s control.
One of the advertisements declares, “Everyone is welcome.” No tuition fees from outside the state.
The advertisements show kids grinning, laughing together, or working in labs in still images or videos. Every advertisement emphasizes how Ohioans can enroll at EMU at in-state tuition rates. Some provide a code that allows the application fee to be waived.
The advertisements aim to appeal to students’ concerns over SB 1.
Moving? One advertisement features a happy student and states, “We at EMU are proud to offer in-state prices for OH residents.” An academic institution that values all opinions. No tuition fees from outside the state.
The campaign was awful, according to Sen. Jerry Cirino, a Republican from Lake County who sponsored SB 1.
Referring specifically to the advertisement that mentions limits, he stated, “I think it’s terrible that a neighboring state is doing something like that, especially when Senate Bill 1 does not place restrictions on anything.”
Cirino remarked, “I don’t know what their marketing strategy is for accomplishing this.” In my opinion, it need to be revealed as an improper marketing strategy.
According to Cirino, he intends to discuss the campaign with the Ohio chancellor of higher education and ask him to inform Michigan higher education leaders about EMU’s campaign.
Is it truly their intention to begin that with us? Because, he added, that may work both ways.
Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer contacted two Eastern Michigan spokeswomen to ask if any Ohio students had visited, enrolled, or transferred as a result of the promotion.
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Unlike Ohio, Michigan lacks a law pertaining to higher education similar to SB 1. The state’s politics are more moderate and left-of-center, and it has a Democratic governor, a Democratic-controlled state senate, and a GOP-controlled house.
Thousands of Ohioans opposed SB 1, which forbids political and ideological litmus tests and states that academics cannot attempt to brainwash students on social, political, or religious issues, during its passage through the legislature, claiming that it would drive students out of Ohio.
Kevin Reuning, a professor of political science at Miami University, posted on Bluesky on Sunday after learning about Eastern Michigan’s campaign from a friend.
When choosing a college, families and students take a variety of criteria into account. SB 1 may drive away some students from Ohio public colleges, but Reuning doesn’t think it will drive away all of them.
According to him, parents are at least considering SB1 because several parent organizations have been voicing concerns about it. It’s also obvious that EMU believes it can work. Any student that leaves Ohio, in my opinion, has the potential to negatively impact our community’s overall economy.
