Campus Day Retreat
The University of Michigan will close its DEI office as the university scrambles to avoid scrutiny from President Donald Trump.
The University of Wisconsin system and several state agencies have failed to specifically track spending on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Wisconsin's Legislative Audit Bureau (WLAB) recently revealed this.
The audit covers 2023-2024 fiscal year. This lack of tracking forced WLAB, a state agency, to estimate what it spent on these programs.
WLAB said in an audit by the University of Wisconsin institutions it estimated that the system spent $12.5 million on pay for employees with job titles related to DEI. Additionally, WLAB estimated that the university “expended $40 million on an office with obligations related to diversity, equity and inclusion. However, WLAB made it clear that not all of these funds are exclusive to DEIs.
A former neighbor officer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was scrutinized for paying his judgment amid Day's crackdown.
The university was planning to scale back DEI efforts after signing a contract with Republican lawmakers in 2023 to limit DEI-related positions. When the contract was struck, the university had 123 full-time positions at DEI. The auditors found that by May 2024 the number had dropped to 110 and he was now 60 years old.
The University of Wisconsin Law School reportedly held a forced seminar in which students were asked to share racial slander and directed “Colorblindness.” (Educational Images/Universal Image Group via Getty Images)
In January, the university removed Lavar Charleston, the top diversity director, due to “a serious progression of judgment and financial responsibility.” Fox 6, A local affiliate reported this. Charleston was taken away from his DEI position, but he remains a member of the university's faculty.
In an audit of state agencies, WLAB found that 12 agencies spent approximately $2.2 million on salaries for 47 positions related to DEI. WLAB also estimates that 23 agencies spent approximately $705,300 on payroll costs “time spent on diversity, equity and inclusive training required for Executive Order 59 or DOA in 2023.”
Wisconsin State Capitol Dome in Madison, Wisconsin. (istock)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Course Mandatory Costs Taxpayers Nearly $2 billion nationwide
The challenge pointed out by WLAB in the report was that both institutions and universities overlapped costs, making it difficult to accurately calculate what was spent on the DEI program.
The WLAB also found that agencies were unable to consistently report to the Department of Management (DOA) efforts to correct non-compliance violations. However, at the same time, the DOA did not consistently require the agency to take action on such issues. Additionally, WLAB found that “most institutions” did not submit to the DOA for all annual required progress reports related to DEIs from 2021 to 2023.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has a web page focused on “Halloween Cultural Awareness,” which states that students should avoid “racist, crude or culturally insensitive” outfits. (University of Wisconsin)
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The audit was ordered by state Republicans who launched a comprehensive review of spending on the equity program in May 2024. Associated Press. This follows comments made by Republican Congress president Robin Voss in late 2023, who vowed to end the DEI initiative. The move coincides with efforts by the Trump administration to drive Day out of all aspects of American life, including higher education.
