In a memo sent to Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin last Wednesday, Vice Chancellor for Finance Administration Rob Cramer cited poor financial decisions for Dr. LaVar J. Charleston’s dismissal from his position as chief diversity officer and leader of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement earlier this year. The memo also outlined solutions to improve financial reporting and transparency
Charleston approved over $200,000 in bonuses in 2024 alone, which is the second-highest amount of bonuses of all university departments that year, according to the memo. Moreover, the DDEEA spent thousands of dollars in reimbursements for travel expenses under Charleston’s oversight.
In the memo, Cramer wrote about his concerns regarding expenditures that were a result of poor judgment on Charleston’s part. Further, Charleston failed to consult with others on significant financial decisions.
When presented with these concerns, Charleston also failed to provide sufficient evidence to defend the department’s spending, according to Cramer.
But, Cramer said Charleston’s decisions did not violate state or university policies, and the situation can be partially blamed on the administrative system’s lack of oversight.
“Longstanding absence of checks within the process enabled poor decision-making by Dr. Charleston,” Cramer said in the memo.
Moving forward, the university will require all Vice Chancellors to consult with the Chief Human Resources Officer before making compensation decisions to ensure oversight and proper communication, according to Cramer. Furthermore, division-based finance directors will now have a dual reporting system with the Assistant Vice Chancellor for finance.
Additional oversight will also come in the form of AI-enabled systems — such as Workday — that analyze financial transactions and improve reporting, according to Cramer’s letter. Cramer also emphasized UW departments should establish a culture that identifies and mitigates poor financial decisions.
Following his dismissal, Charleston returned to his role as a clinical professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis in the School of Education, according to previous reporting by The Badger Herald. Provost Charles Isbell Jr. has been serving as acting director of the DDEEA until a director is appointed.
“The university remains steadfastly committed to ensuring all students and employees are offered the opportunity to thrive and find a sense of belonging on campus,” the statement from Jan 22 said.
The Badger Herald reached out to Charleston for a statement, but he did not respond.