The impact of Ohio legislation on remedial education at the University of Toledo: Perceptions of selected faculty and academic administrators

The state of Ohio remedial education legislation, Senate Bill 311, known as The Ohio Core, will have an impact on The University of Toledo (UT). The stated goal of the legislation is that after 2015 no state money will be designated to fund remedial course work on main campuses of state universities. The goal of this study was to examine the reactions of policy decision-making stakeholders concerning the impact of state remediation policies at UT.;Under a policy analysis framework, this study used the specific qualitative processes of observation, document review, and interviewing to analyze reactions to current state policies in regard to remedial education at UT. Participants were selected from among faculty and academic administrators at UT involved in policy decision-making who were knowledgeable about and were impacted by decisions regarding remedial education at UT. This study first identified institutional activities that have occurred as a result of the passage of S.B. 311; second, analyzed the perceptions of stakeholders regarding the impact of the legislation at UT; and lastly, made recommendations for change.;In general an analysis of the findings indicated that policy decision-makers at UT were aware of and had an understanding of the Ohio Core Legislation as it related to higher education; felt that UT would be impacted by the legislation in the areas of finances and diversity; were committed to remaining true to the university's mission of open access and to continuing to serve the academically under prepared student despite the Ohio Core legislation; and were working to find creative ways to do so by establishing two levels of admission for new enrollees and by creating a Portal of Entry for the conditionally admitted students.;This study explored how stakeholders at UT saw the social contract between their institution and the public they serve being ultimately reconsidered and perhaps renegotiated. The challenge still before policy makers at UT is to find the best avenue for their institution to serve those students who enter college not fully prepared for the academic rigors required for success.