Editor’s note: This article was corrected to include statements from Assistant Vice Chancellor John Lucas stating there is no current plan at UW-Madison for the requirement to be removed.

The Wisconsin State Legislature passed Wisconsin Act 15 in July, reshaping the University of Wisconsin System’s general education requirements with the potential of cutting the ethnic studies and diversity course mandate. 

This removal raises concerns from the student body, with the Associated Students of Madison urging the campus to voice their disapproval to the UW Board of Regents by October 8, according to an ASM Instagram post. 

ASM Chair Landis Varughese discussed how the organization encourages students to stand up against this legislation, emphasizing that the loss of the requirement limits conversations about diversity at UW-Madison.  

“I think that education is one of the most important resources and tools for people,” Varughese said. “Knowledge is truly power, and we need to make sure that we’re educating and informing our students of all of the communities that make up the tapestry of UW-Madison.” 

For more than three decades, the three-credit ethnic studies course requirement has stood as a cornerstone of UW-Madison’s general education curriculum — shaping how students foster conversations on diversity in higher education, according to the Office of the Provost.

Shared governance is vital in a university system as large as Wisconsin’s, as every UW campus has its own representatives, Varughese said. 

By working as a collective group with ASM’s support, the student body can better voice academic and personal needs to the Board of Regents and lawmakers, Varughese said. 

“I really appreciate the community that we’ve been able to build across the UW system related to shared governance, because it makes articulating our campus needs that much easier,” Varughese said. 

The Board of Regents will submit a proposal to the Joint Committee of Employment Relations by Dec. 31 and the policy will be enforced Sept. 1, according to ASM’s Instagram post. 

The draft Regent policy document on the implications of Act 15 provide flexibility and despite some recent conversations, does not change or require changes to UW-Madison’s general education, school, college or major requirements, Assistant Vice Chancellor John Lucas said in an email. There is no current plan to change the requirement at UW-Madison and it has been an important part of the education the university provides, Lucas said in the email.

Requesting student input in voicing this issue, ASM discussed the implications of eliminating the ethnic studies requirement, explaining that this initiative will limit cross-cultural understanding, according to the post. 

“Most importantly, ethnic studies courses grant students the opportunity to study the rich histories of communities of color on this campus and beyond,” the post said.  

As the UW System prepares to implement Act 15, Varughese said student engagement will be crucial in shaping the outcomes of the curriculum. 

The university has heard the concerns about the future of the ethnic studies requirement, Lucas said in the email.

While the policy will take effect in September, ASM will continue to have conversations that shape the plan to cease the requirement from sharing materials to professors to providing students with the opportunity to share feedback, according to Varughese. 

Varughese encourages students to utilize the feedback form on the ASM Instagram by Oct. 8 to voice their opinions on cutting the requirement. 

“I really care about education as a tool, as a resource and as an opportunity,” Varughese said. “I want to make sure that we’re continuing to provide every opportunity for every student moving forward.”