Oct. 18, 2023 9:30p
(WGTD/WPR)---Touring UW-Parkside Wednesday, Gov. Evers blasted moves by a Republican-controlled committee to withhold raises to UW employees until the university eliminates diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Evers' comments came in response to a question from a student about the challenges he faces as governor, coupled with a mention by a Black nursing student that she feels uncomfortable at times because of her minority status.
Nursing student Shuntayvia Curry-Allen is active in the Black Student Union and sits on a Parkside diversity, equity and inclusion council. But she was unaware of the flap in Madison that has been brewing for some time.
Evers filled her in. "Can you believe that? That in this day and age that would be an issue?" he said.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has criticized D-E-I programming as an attempt to “indoctrinate” students.
Evers was even more forceful in his opinion when questioned later by a reporter. "It frankly angers me that people say things like that...they should get out of their cocoon and go out and visit people in the state of Wisconsin, especially people at universities," he said.
Campuses have taken steps in response to Republican criticism, including no longer asking potential faculty to describe how they have used their work to further diversity, equity and inclusion.
This week a committee approved a 6% raise over two years for all but those who work for the University of Wisconsin system.
During the state budget process, Vos and Republican colleagues backed cutting $32 million from the UW System's budget and eliminating 188 staff positions related to DEI efforts for students and staff.
Evers spared the jobs with a line-item veto, but the $32 million cut remained in the budget he signed into law this summer. The funding is technically slated for workforce development initiatives at state campuses, but Vos has said it won't be released until DEI is eliminated.
Republicans in states across the country have targeted DEI programs in higher education, even before the U.S. Supreme Court effectively ended race-based admission programs earlier this year.
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