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The Campus DEI Retreat
The University of Michigan has recently discontinued its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office amidst a wave of scrutiny directed toward such initiatives, particularly from former President Donald Trump and his administration.
A recent report from Wisconsin’s Legislative Audit Bureau (WLAB) revealed that the University of Wisconsin system, along with several state agencies, did not adequately track expenditures related to DEI programs.
The audits conducted for the fiscal year 2023-2024 highlighted this lack of tracking, leading WLAB to estimate spendings on DEI initiatives across these institutions.
WLAB’s findings indicate that the University of Wisconsin system spent roughly $12.5 million on salaries for employees with titles associated with DEI work. Furthermore, it estimated that an additional $40.2 million was allocated to offices responsible for DEI, although not all of this funding was earmarked specifically for DEI purposes.
DEI POSITION REDUCTIONS AT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON UNDER SCRUTINY
In response to legislative pressures in 2023, the university had agreed to limit DEI-related roles, reducing its positions from 123 to 110 by May 2024. Currently, the number stands at only 60.
Compounding issues, the University of Wisconsin Law School was recently accused of hosting a seminar where students were prompted to disclose racial slurs and provided guidance on “colorblindness.”
In January, LaVar Charleston, the university’s chief diversity officer, was dismissed amid concerns regarding his exercise of judgment and financial oversight, as reported by Fox 6. Although he is no longer in charge of DEI efforts, he continues to be part of the university’s faculty.
WLAB’s audits also revealed that various state agencies expended about $2.2 million on salaries for 47 DEI-related positions. Additionally, it’s estimated that approximately $705,300 was allocated for salaries linked to time spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion training mandated by Executive Order 59 or the Department of Administration in 2023.
DEI TRAINING MANDATES COST TAXPAYERS NEARLY $2 BILLION ACROSS THE U.S.: STUDY
WLAB pointed out complications in determining exact DEI expenditures due to overlapping costs among agencies and the university. Discrepancies were also noted in reporting to the Department of Administration (DOA), with many agencies not consistently addressing issues of noncompliance. Furthermore, it was observed that the majority of agencies failed to submit required annual reports related to DEI to the DOA between 2021 and 2023.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has maintained a web page on “Halloween cultural awareness” suggesting that students should refrain from wearing “racist, crude, or culturally insensitive” costumes.
The audits were initiated by state Republicans who have been actively pursuing a thorough review of funding for equity programs, a move that reflects broader political sentiments towards DEI initiatives. This push follows statements from Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in late 2023, where he stated intentions to eliminate DEI efforts, echoing the Trump administration’s approach to these programs across various sectors, including higher education.
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