MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Republican lawmaker who forced Wisconsin universities to reducing diversity positions called Tuesday for a thorough review of diversity initiatives in state government and reiterated his claim that he has only begun to dismantle equity and inclusion efforts in the state.
Assembly Speaker Robin Voss made the remarks after the Legislature’s employment committee voted to allocate $107.6 million to cover a 6 percent raise for about 35,000 UW employees. The vote resolved a six-month battle over raises; the state budget approved by Republicans in June included funding for the raises, but Vos refused to let the employment committee release the money, using it as leverage in his fight against campus diversity initiatives.
Voss and University of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman finally reached an agreement earlier this month. The deal called for the regents to freeze diversity hiring, rename about 40 diversity positions as “student success” positions, eliminate an affirmative action faculty hiring program at UW-Madison and create a position at the flagship university focused on conservative a thought. In return, Vos agreed to hand over the money for the raises, as well as tens of millions of dollars for construction projects throughout the university system.
The regents voted to approve the deal last week despite strong criticism from students and faculty that it was selling out students of color and LGBTQ+ students. Voss, who is white, said after the regents’ vote that he had just begun removing “these cancerous DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) practices” from UW campuses.
On Tuesday, he signaled he won’t stop there, saying he thinks DEI’s efforts have divided people and that he wants a truly color-blind society.
“We’re still not done trying to see how pervasive DEI is throughout the state government,” Voss told the employment committee. “I have faith that legislative Republicans will begin a much-needed, long-term, thorough review of DEI in every state government, whether it’s the Department of Corrections or the UW System, technical colleges or any part of state government.” So stay tuned. This is just the first step and we hope there are many more to come.”
He then wished everyone a Merry Christmas. He quickly left the room after the vote, telling reporters that further details could emerge later this week.
A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, Brit Cuddaback, tweeted that Evers was the governor, not Voss. She said the Evers administration would continue diversity efforts “regardless of the small-minded objections of legislative Republicans.”
The governor filed a lawsuit with the Wisconsin Supreme Court in October, arguing that lawmakers overstepped their authority by blocking the raises. Attorney General Josh Kaul, who represents the governor, sent a letter to the court on Tuesday arguing that the vote to waive the raises did not make the case moot and that the justices still had to decide the larger question of whether legislative committees can block pre-approved spending.
The Employment Committee voted 6-1 to release the money for the raises. The 4% increase is backdated to July, with another 2% increase in July 2024.
Republican Chris Kapenga, who is president of the state Senate, was the only committee member to vote against exempting the raises. After the vote, he told reporters that he voted “no” because he wanted diversity efforts to be scrapped entirely.
“I want to see DEI dead,” said Kapenga, who is white. “I think it’s disgusting. … We have laws in the constitution that protect people for what DEI is supposedly doing.
The Republican-controlled Legislature is expected to vote this spring on bills that would provide funding for the construction projects, including about $200 million for a new engineering building at UW-Madison; $78 million to renovate residence halls at UW-Whitewater, Voss’ alma mater; and $45 million for system-wide demolition projects.
