With the narrow 9-8 vote, the UW board declined $800 million of additional funding because the deal would have included cutting or limiting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at state universities. The proposal would have eliminated diversity statements on applications for two campuses, and included a three-year cap on DEI hires, Fox News reported. The emergency vote followed months of negotiations with Republican lawmakers who blocked funding for the new engineering building and pay for raises until the UW system reformed its DEI program. “It’s a shame they’ve denied employees their raises and the almost $1 billion investment that would have been made across the UW system, all so they could continue their ideological campaign to force students to believe only one viewpoint is acceptable on campus,” the GOP leaders said in a statement. The issue reflects wider culture war issues dogging the U.S. as colleges and universities across the country maintain their laser sharp focus on race. Wisconsin Democrats praised the rejection of the deal. “Students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members sent a clear message to the UW Board of Regents — we must fight for campuses where everyone is welcomed and feels they belong,” Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer said in a statement posted to X. “Thank you to the Board for rejecting the GOP’s deal. The work continues.” On Dec. 11, Wisconsin’s top GOP lawmaker said he would no longer be negotiating with UW over the issue. “This deal was negotiated in good faith,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said. “We’re not changing one thing in this deal. We are not going backwards. If anything, I’d prefer to go forward. But a deal is a deal, you’ve got to keep your word. This is not forever. If they want to walk away, they can walk away.” He added that there is “zero chance” that he will change his stance on the issue. “I will do everything in my power to make sure we enforce this deal or wait until the next budget to talk about it again,” Vos said. “We are not going to give the raises. We are not going to approve these new building programs. We are not going to approve the new money for the university unless they at least pass this deal.”Universities of Wisconsin System Board of Regents (UW) has rejected a massive funding deal that would have provided pay raises for staff and financed the construction of a new engineering building.
Loading...
