Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature voted to pull millions in funds from the University of Wisconsin's budget, citing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as the reason for the cuts.
Legislators approved the $32 million cuts compared to previous allocations during an executive session of the joint committee on finance in the state legislature on Thursday.
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Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told the Associated Press last week that the cuts were targeted at DEI policies, saying the cuts are equal to how much the university system spends on DEI officers.
“For people on the Left, [efforts to promote diversity have] become their new religion. They no longer go to church on Sunday, but boy are they trying to make sure everybody is evangelized on campus. That’s their only one acceptable viewpoint. That’s not what I think taxpayers should be funding,” Vos told the outlet.
Shortly after the cuts were voted on, University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman expressed disappointment in the cuts, saying it was a "missed opportunity and a significant setback."
“The compensation adjustments announced by the committee are appreciated," Rothman said in a statement Thursday.
"However, Wisconsin’s public universities are already near the bottom nationally, at 42nd, in public funding. Investments at even half the rate of inflation would have afforded us a real opportunity to develop the talent that tomorrow’s workforce desperately needs. Instead, continued erosion of state investment will diminish student access and affordability at our public universities. This is a missed opportunity and a significant setback to Wisconsin’s efforts to win the war for talent,” Rothman added.
Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) denounced the cuts when they were proposed earlier this month, accusing the GOP of having "no real or meaningful solutions to address our state’s longstanding workforce challenges."
"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’ decade-long 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," Evers said in a statement last week.
“These cuts will be disastrous for our UW System, almost certainly causing cuts to campuses and critical programs statewide, and will only hurt our kids, our state’s economy, and our state’s workforce in the process,” he added.
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Other states with Republican-controlled legislatures have taken action against DEI programs, which the GOP argues are counter to their stated mission.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed a law that prevents state universities from using funds for DEI initiatives.