Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos suggested that the University of Wisconsin System eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion offices at its public universities and implies budget cuts if his request isn’t met.
The suggestion came days after a video of a white student at UW using racial slurs and references circulated on social media. Students called for action from the university with a list of demands to do more than their initial response regarding the incident, including creating and implementing required DEI programming for students to prevent racial bias incidents.
Students like Favor Olubi and Claudia Loppnow disagree with Vos’s urge to dismantle DEI offices within the UW System. They argue that the school’s funding towards the Bakke, the campus’ new multimillion dollar recreational center, could’ve been used in a much more beneficial way.
“I disagree wholeheartedly with Vos because I think diversity brings strength to our campus,” Loppnow said. “He stated that it would divide races more if we kept diversity offices, but I really think they’re just safe spaces for people of color and people on this campus who don’t usually have safe spaces in our predominantly white institution. So I think taking that away is just a big slap in the face for people of color.”
The motion from Vos to remove DEI offices comes weeks before the Republican-controlled Legislature will decide the amount of money that will be allocated to Wisconsin public universities for the next two years. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Vos suggested that UW must meet his demands at least make an effort to meet his request, bearing possible budget cut repercussions if they are not.
Vos said the annual $13.6 million spent on DEI administrators is wasting public tax dollars. He suggests funding be reallocated towards high-demand fields, such as nursing and engineering, that are also seeking funding, and he urged the UW System to reinstate the requirement of ACT and SAT test score submissions during the admissions process, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
UW System President Jay Rothman indicated a hesitation to eliminate DEI, as he said students must be prepared to join increasingly diverse workforces coming out of higher-education. He also said DEI offices are a way to improve retention and graduation rates at Wisconsin public universities, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said.
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Wisconsin State Sen. Kelda Roys said in a press statement that gutting DEI would be a mistake.
“Robin Vos’ agenda of sowing division and endless culture wars makes Wisconsin a less attractive place for young people and employers,” Roys said in the statement. “By contrast, investing in the University of Wisconsin is the best tool we have for creating prosperity and attracting and retaining workers and businesses.”
Following the response from UW’s administration regarding the racist video, students have continued to advocate for more diversity, equity and inclusion on campus in the form of protests.
“Just once, I wish Robin Vos would set aside his relentless divide-and-conquer partisanship and instead do the right thing for the people of Wisconsin,” Roys said. “We need to fund our public universities adequately rather than attacking them for recognizing and learning from mistakes of the past.”
