According to the Associated Press, Wisconsin’s top Republican lawmaker said today that he is finished negotiating with UW over a deal that would have given the university system’s employees a pay raise and paid for the construction of a new engineering building in exchange for reductions in staff positions focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The UW Board of Regents rejected the deal in a special meeting on Saturday after regents voiced concerns about its targeting of DEI efforts. The fight in Wisconsin comes amid a broader cultural battle playing out across the nation over college diversity initiatives.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who reached the deal with UW President Jay Rothman, said today on WISN-AM that he hopes the regents will reconsider, but that the deal was “negotiated in good faith,” and he’s not open to making any changes.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Saturday said he supported the regents’ decision but wanted the negotiations to continue. In the meantime, he called on the Legislature to release funding for the pay raises and engineering building.
Vos said there was “zero chance” of him softening his position.
