University of Ohio Advisor Exposes DEI Workarounds — “We Always Have to Worry About How We Say Things”
March 30, 2026
Rigorous new state and federal laws have supposedly eliminated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from Ohio’s public universities. But another undercover video from Accuracy in Media suggests that DEI is still alive and well on campus.
Nickie Boczko, a Success Advisor at the University of Ohio was recorded on hidden camera speaking with an Accuracy in Media investigator posing as a prospective student. In the footage, Boczko indicates that DEI remains embedded within the university’s academic structure, where leftist professors are actively resisting efforts by state lawmakers to remove it.
“I think we do have a lot of faculty that are really committed to staying on top of all of this, regardless of, you know, like, state legislation,” Boczko said.
When pressed to clarify what she meant, Boczko responded directly: “Diversity and Inclusion.”
She went on to suggest that faculty are actively navigating around the new legal constraints.
“Our faculty are using their instructional freedom to its maximum capability,” she said. “Of course we have to follow state law and state legislation. Nothing has currently changed.”
Boczko referenced recent legislative developments, noting a new state senate bill that would require civics education for students graduating in 2029 or later, including coursework focused on the Constitution.
However, she also acknowledged that academic programs are being restructured so as to preserve DEI-related content under different labels.
“Our courses were built around avoiding this to begin with because we are not brand new to being a Republican state,” Boczko said. “We always have to worry about how we say things.”
She added that the university’s African American Studies program is being reorganized: “Our African American Studies program is moving under social work or sociology… they’re going to be a combined department.”
Our investigations have repeatedly found administrators acknowledging that DEI-related programs are continuing, albeit under different names, often in sociology, criminology and psychology departments.
Our exposé of Boczko is the latest in a series of undercover investigations by Accuracy in Media that reveal universities’ wilful defiance of state-level efforts to eliminate DEI from higher education. We have repeatedly documented administrators and faculty at Ohio’s public universities intentionally skirting the law and rebranding prohibited programs so as to maintain DEI in the curriculum.
Take action now. Visit DEIinOhio.com to send one message directly to University of Ohio trustees and the Attorney General. No Ohio taxpayer should be forced to fund DEI in education — especially when it defies state law.