The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents convened Wednesday, passing a deal that ensures the release of employee pay raises and funding for dorm renovations and a new engineering building in exchange for the elimination of various diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in a 11-6 vote.
Wednesday’s decision comes after the deal was narrowly rejected in a 9-8 vote Saturday. Board of Regents Vice President Amy Blumenfeld Bogost, Regent Ashok Rai, Regent Kyle Weatherly and UW President Jay Rothman recommended the reconsideration Tuesday.
Board of Regents President Karen Walsh, Bogost and Regent Jennifer Staton, who is currently enrolled at UW–Parkside, initially voted against the deal but voted in favor of it in today’s reconsideration vote. During the meeting, Staton condemned Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) for having “created and perpetuated” a battle over DEI in Wisconsin.
Board of Regents to meet Wednesday to reconsider rejected funding deal
“DEI is not only intrinsic to the UW System, but also to large business strategies,” Staton said. “When businesses implement this strategy, it has been proven that they outperform their peers, but I don’t see them being attacked when using the same strategy.”
Bogost, who initially voted against the deal Saturday, said she decided to support the resolution after discussions with stakeholders from various UW institutions.
“President Rothman and [UW–Madison] Chancellor [Jennifer] Mnookin have reassured this Board to continue to honor the commitment to diversity,” Bogost said. “We will hold their feet to the fire on this and by adopting this resolution, it does not reduce or eliminate the accountability for them or for us.”
Walsh said the Board did not have sufficient time to discuss the deal Saturday, but has since had time for collaboration between Board members and UW faculty, students and staff.
Walsh said since Saturday, Regents have heard “passionate pleas” from people for and against the resolution. Walsh also maintained the passage of the deal does not undermine UW’s commitment to serving students of diverse backgrounds.
“Our commitment to students, faculty and staff of different races, creeds, religions, veteran status, socioeconomic status, or political beliefs is a core value of the Universities of Wisconsin,” Walsh said. “This proposal does not put that in jeopardy.”
The deal follows months of negotiation between Rothman, Vos and Mnookin, according to previous reporting from The Badger Herald. The deal will release millions in state funding for a new College of Engineering building on the UW–Madison campus, dorm renovations and employee pay raises.
In exchange, the deal requires UW institutions to “reimagine” one-third of DEI service positions as “student success” roles and cut the Target of Opportunity program, UW’s faculty diversity initiative. It also requires UW–Madison to seek donors that would fund a professorship focused on teaching conservatism.
In a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Vos said he was glad to see “real reforms enacted.” Vos also said Wednesday’s deal was “just the first step” in eliminating DEI on UW campuses.
Gov. Tony Evers released a statement Wednesday evening expressing disapproval of the decision and calling the deal a “vast overreach” of Republicans in the Legislature.
“I disagree with the regents’ decision today,” Evers said in the statement. “I am disappointed and frustrated with this result, this proposal, and the process that led up to this point. It is also my expectation that every individual who promised in this process that the important work of building diversity, equity, and inclusion and making sure our campuses are welcoming and work for everyone would not be diminished by this action will be working in earnest to make good on that commitment.”
Future of budget allocation marked with uncertainty between UW administrators, state legislators
Though the Board’s two student members were consulted during the creation of the deal, Madison City Council District 8 Ald. MGR Govindarajan said the decision lacked adequate input from students overall, which may violate shared governance laws.
Wis. Stat. 36.09(5) says students hold the primary responsibility to advise the chancellor on the “formulation and review of policies concerning student life, services, and interests.”
“If it’s not in violation of state law, which … I’m not going to make that claim — [it] is definitely in violation of shared governance principles and the spirit of the law,” Govindarajan said. “And processes are very important and this process for UW at least has been very exclusive.”
Associated Students of Madison, UW–Madison’s student council, said in a Tuesday Instagram post that the deal’s proposal, which came shortly before finals week and only 24 hours before the initial vote, prevented students from “making their voices heard.”
In a statement released Wednesday evening, ASM said it was “disheartened and disappointed” by the vote.
“We will continue to work to hold the Board of Regents, the UW System, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison accountable to their many statements about upholding diversity as a value,” the statement said. “We call upon them to enshrine justice, equity, and belonging in the culture of our University.”
Though a new engineering building and the other concessions from the Republican-controlled legislature guaranteed to UW schools are beneficial, Govindarajan said sacrificing DEI initiatives that reinforce a commitment to making students of color feel welcome on campus should not be up for negotiation.
“I think that sends a message to students of color on this campus that we are not really welcome and there are not really going to be any programs to help us feel welcomed in a place where it’s really tough already,” Govindarajan said.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include statements from Associated Students of Madison, Gov. Tony Evers and Robin Vos, and to clarify a quote from MGR Govindarajan.
