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Board of Regents reject workforce proposal

MADISON (WKOW) -- On Saturday the Universities of Wisconsin (UW) Board of Regents rejected a compromise with state Republications that would have ended the continued dispute regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) funding for the state's public universities. The Board voted 9 to 8 with several members stating the deal would limit resources for students of color. 

"I can not and will not vote to set the system back," stated Regent Joan Prince.

This decision comes less than 24 hours after UW President Jay Rothman held an unexpected press conference sharing the details of the compromise. 

For several months, the Republican-controlled state legislature - led by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos - tried to completely cut the university system's DEI positions and programs, urging UW to focus dollars on student success. 

"I do support this resolution, no one is losing their job. It gives us an opportunity to reimagine our approach to diversity. And it is an approach it's not a walk away. It's an approach to diversity," added Regent Mike Jones during the vote.

Republicans recently withheld $32 million in UW funding in reaction to GOP anger over the DEI programs - estimating this number to be the amount that the universities would spend on DEI initiatives over two years. 

The details of the DEI deal

President Rothman and Chancellor Mnookin said UW would be willing to "re-imagine" 43 of its DEI positions and will not create any new DEI-related positions over the next three years. In turn, the compromise would have freed up over $800 million for new projects, initiatives, inflationary pay increases and renovations. 

The compromise also included an agreement from the state to help fund a new UW-Madison engineering building, a facility that recently caught fire and flooded. Legislature would have contributed $45.4 million to demolish facilities that are no longer needed or habitable across the university system. UW also asked the legislature to pass Assembly Bill 140, which would allow funding earned from Minnesota students coming to Wisconsin to benefit their chosen university.

The compromise was agreed upon by Speaker Robin Vos prior to the vote but needed to be approved by the UW Board of Regents and the State Assembly before Governor Evers would be asked to sign it.  

Reactions from lawmakers, officials

In a statement on 'X,' Speaker Robin Vos condemned the outcome of the vote, saying the rejection is a "shame" and allows the Board of Regents to "continue their ideological campaign to force students to believe only one viewpoint is acceptable on campus."

In a press release, Governor Tony Evers referenced the Board of Regents' final vote and said he "understand[s] and support[s] their decision and vote." Evers also said he "again urge[s] legislative Republicans to release the already-approved UW System employee raises and investments included in the biennial budget that are well overdue."

In a statement on 'X,' UW System President Jay Rothman said he is disappointed in the outcome but "respect[s] the decision of the Board of Regents."

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