Wisconsin Senate controls future of funding for universities amid DEI fight
Rachel Schilke
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The fate of the University of Wisconsin‘s funding is now in the hands of the state Senate, the culmination of a Republican-led effort to block any funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in universities across the United States.
The university’s funding is tied up in a two-year spending bill that came from a bipartisan deal between Republican legislators and Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI). It is part of an even larger bill that will boost funding for local governments and cut taxes across the board.
The state Senate will take up the bill on Wednesday, followed by a vote in the state Assembly on Thursday. Evers could veto the budget, which he has threatened if the bill arrives at his desk with substantial cuts to DEI programs.
The current budget cuts funding for the University of Wisconsin by $32 million, which Republican leaders claim is primarily geared toward DEI programming and staff salaries. GOP members voted to give the university nearly half a billion dollars less than it asked for last week. The university could receive the funding back if it can prove it will go toward workforce development efforts.
University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman had expressed disappointment in the cuts last week, saying it was a “missed opportunity and a significant setback.” Evers slammed Republicans for the move, saying that cuts would be “disastrous” for the state.
“Make no mistake, Speaker Vos and Republicans’ short-sighted move to gut our UW System by tens of millions of dollars is about one thing — Republicans’ decadelong war on higher education institutions in our state. It’s clear Republicans have no real or meaningful solutions to address our state’s longstanding workforce challenges, and that includes making the necessary investments to educate and retain talented students across our state,” the Wisconsin governor said in a statement.
The cuts to the University of Wisconsin’s DEI programs are just one of many legislative actions spurred by GOP leaders across the country as they seek to eliminate the training and implementations in state universities, public schools, and the military.
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Both Texas and Florida have passed bans on DEI initiatives in state universities. The Lone Star State’s legislature passed a bill prohibiting DEI offices in May, and Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) signed the bill into law on June 14.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed two bills into law in May that prevent state universities from using funds for DEI initiatives. Much of the Florida governor’s legislative agenda has been focused on banning critical race theory and DEI education at the public school and collegiate levels. It is a major focal point for his 2024 presidential campaign, which he launched in late May.