The Wisconsin Board of Regents reversed itself and approved a state GOP deal for $800 million in university funding in exchange for freezing new hires of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officers.
Additionally, 43 existing DEI jobs will be reclassified to new positions, and campuses will have to eliminate statements supporting “diversity” on student applications.
The state legislature refused to approve the $800 million budget increase for pay raises and capitol improvements without the DEI deal. The Board of Regents initially turned it down but reversed the decision in a surprise vote Wednesday.