Understanding Ohio's New Syllabus Law (SB 1)

In 2025, Ohio passed the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act (Senate Bill 1), which introduced new syllabus requirements for public colleges and universities across the state. Most notably, institutions will be required to publish course syllabi online for public access. Beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, every undergraduate course offered must have a syllabus available online, not just in print form. For many institutions, this change will require them to create a new system and process for editing, publishing, and maintaining hundreds, or even thousands, of course syllabi online.

What Ohio's Syllabus Law Requires

Under SB 1, public colleges and universities in Ohio must publish the syllabus for every undergraduate course on a publicly accessible website. These syllabi must be accessible from the institution's main website within three clicks, searchable by keywords, and not require login credentials. The law also specifies what content must be included in each syllabus, including the instructor's name, qualifications, contact information, and a course schedule for the semester. Institutions must publish the syllabus by the first day of the academic term, and previous semesters' syllabi must remain available for at least two years on the same website.

How the Law Affects Colleges and Universities

While the goal of SB 1 is increased accessibility, implementing these requirements will require new processes for many institutions. Syllabi are often stored in LMS platforms, internal folders, or as PDFs rather than being published on a website. Now, institutions must coordinate across departments to edit syllabi, ensure required elements are included, publish them in a centralized location, and maintain archives for multiple academic years. Without proper software, this can quickly become a complicated process involving scattered PDFs and disjointed websites. Not to mention, if new syllabus websites are not published with a long-term strategy in mind, it can create more hiccups when it comes time to apply for accreditation.

How Clean Catalog Can Help

A centralized syllabus management software platform can help simplify this process. Clean Catalog allows institutions to manage academic content, including course information and syllabi, within a structured, web-based system that is easy for staff to maintain and update. Using customizable content templates, institutions can ensure that every syllabus follows a consistent structure that includes all required information. Built-in content fields prompt staff and faculty to enter key details, such as instructor information, course schedules, and required materials, before a syllabus can be published or updated. This helps maintain accuracy and ensures that all staff members are publishing complete syllabi that are consistent campus-wide.

Clean Catalog also manages the full implementation process, including the initial site build-out and migration of existing syllabus content. By handling the technical setup at no additional cost, Clean Catalog enables institutions to bring their syllabi online quickly with minimal administrative effort, allowing schools to meet compliance with SB 1 without headaches or last-minute scrambles.

Ohio's syllabus transparency requirement reflects a broader shift toward accessible academic information in higher education. With the right software platform in place, institutions can not only meet compliance requirements but also improve how course information is delivered and maintained online.