According to the Wisconsin State Journal, on Thursday, Republicans approved a plan to cut the UW System’s budget by $32 million with the aim of forcing school officials to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and programming.
The plan would require the UW System’s elimination of 188.8 related positions. It also proposes the redirection of the $32 million in DEI money toward UW System initiatives to develop Wisconsin’s workforce.
UW–Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin voiced confusion at Republicans’ cited need for the System to focus on workforce development given the same group’s decision to decline funding for a new engineering building a few weeks ago.
The move also follows warnings that the majority of the System’s four-year universities are projected to have multimillion-dollar deficits by summer of 2024 with current spending needs.
