COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio State University’s Board of Trustees approved all agenda items at its Wednesday meeting, including establishing the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture and Society as a tenure initiating unit.

The move came in direct opposition of the University Senate, which voted against the state-mandated “intellectual diversity” center. Faculty, staff and students have spoken out against the Chase Center, but the Board of Trustees said they supported it wholeheartedly. See previous coverage of the state-mandated centers — five in total — in the video player above.

“It is the view of this board that the Chase Center will be a strong and unique addition to Ohio State’s academic offerings. One that ties directly to our motto of ‘education for citizenship,'” Chair John Zeiger said.

The center, which will open next fall, typically would have required University Senate approval. Representatives said OSU was going forward with the center because of the legislative obligation. However, as a public university, many of Ohio State’s bylaws are listed in Ohio law, including the requirement to get Senate approval to establish a TIU, or tenure initiating unit.

Professor Richard Fletcher said proceeding without Senate support is not the only out-of-the-ordinary decision in the center’s implementation. Ohio State rules said only established TIUs can hire professors. However, the Chase Center has already begun the hiring process.

“The big problem that we see, and this is was voiced in the University Senate, is the speed in which this has been going,” Fletcher said. “The fact is that the jobs that were announced for the Chase Center were literally announced on the day of the Senate vote. So there was this anticipation that the Senate would approve.”

A university spokesperson said Ohio Revised Code supersedes university bylaws. Although both are codified, the mandated center is part of the Ohio Revised Code, whereas Ohio State bylaws are included in the Ohio Administrative Code.

The law establishing the center included a deadline for appointing an academic council but not a timeline for when it had to open. Fletcher and members of University Senate asked why the university was fast-tracking the process instead of revising the proposal to address Senate concerns. The Senate also asked for clearer guardrails regarding center finances.

“This feeling of that there’s nothing that can be done is a little frustrating when it comes to this, because I think the University Senate is an amazing place to do this work of really thinking through what we need to do to safeguard our university from an independent unit that can hire his own faculty, create his own curriculum,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher called the center a “Trojan horse,” referring to the legitimacy it creates for the work being done there and for the “thinktanks” behind it. He also tied the center to Senate Bill 1, which, among other things, would require universities to implement a mandatory course on American civic liberty.

“Universities are like, ‘Where should I take my required course in civic literacy? Oh, probably the center of civics and culture and society,'” Fletcher said. “So there’s this kind of sense in which it also would generate tuition dollars for the center, especially if it is never brought into alignment with the university governance structures, which currently it isn’t.”

Zeiger said in no uncertain terms that the board supports Ohio State President Ted Carter and his team as they navigate new legislative requirements. Carter said they are continuing their evaluation of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and said the university aims to be proactive while navigating possible legislative changes.

Carter said he was “pleased” with the conversations he’s had with U.S. Sens. Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno. He added that he sees Ohio State as a pioneer in a new sphere of higher education. Between Ohio State’s national football championship and role as Vice President J.D. Vance’s alma mater, the university is well poised on a national stage, something Carter and the trustees applauded.

“The future of higher education is going to emerge from public land grant institutions like ours,” Carter said. “There’s a race for leadership right now in that space. Ohio State can be, and will be, at the forefront.”

The trustees also celebrated student athletes from the football and spirit and dance teams, which both won national championships. In Carter’s presentation, he also spoke to the football championship win. He thanked coach Ryan Day and applauded the academic achievements of athletes. The meeting also approved all proposed construction projects, including a new roof for the Schottenstein Center and new technology for university-owned medical facilities.