UW Regents Explain Their Votes on Diversity and Funding Deal

Frederica Freyberg:

The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents took a u-turn this week, voting 11 to 6 to approve a deal negotiated with Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, after a vote on the very same deal failed just days earlier. At stake was hundreds of millions of dollars for employee pay raises, building construction and constraining programming related to diversity, equity and inclusion. We should note, PBS Wisconsin is part of UW-Madison.

Karen Walsh:

Last Saturday, this board faced one of its toughest votes in memory.

Marisa Wojcik:

Saturday’s vote of the UW Board of Regents failed 9-8, with all who voted against the deal being appointed or reappointed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers. The board had called three special meetings over several days this week, one of which was closed to the public and possibly violated notice requirements under the state’s open meetings law. Some regents who changed their votes from ‘no’ to ‘yes’ did so with distress.

Jennifer Staton:

Speaker Vos’ definition of DEI is division, exclusion and indoctrination. He has created and perpetuated this battle here in Wisconsin. We aren’t walking around arguing about DEI.

Marisa Wojcik:

Those who voted ‘no’ both times were resolute.

John Miller:

I fear that acceptance of this tactic will only embolden its adherence, leading to a never-ending cycle of brinkmanship, simply to extract a politically motivated policy concession that they don’t have the power to legislate.

Marisa Wojcik:

Some who voted ‘yes’ both times still didn’t like the deal.

Kyle Weatherly:

This deal, distasteful though it is, in my judgment, and on balance gives us a better ability to serve not only those students, but all students.

Marisa Wojcik:

But others saw it necessary to compromise.

Ashok Rai:

Because I feel it’s my fiduciary duty to put the needs of this system in front of any personal opinion I may hold.

Marisa Wojcik:

The vote ended with the resolution passing 11-6.

Woman:

The motion carries.

Marisa Wojcik:

The Legislative Black Caucus held a press conference condemning the move.

Dora Drake:

It is discriminatory towards students, faculty and staffs of color because their experiences should never have a price tag.

Marisa Wojcik:

Speaker Vos released a statement saying, Our caucus objective has always been aimed at dismantling the bureaucracy and division related to DEI and reprioritizing our universities towards an emphasis on what matters: student success and achievement.” Governor Tony Evers in his own statement said, “This vote today represents a vast overreach by a group of Republicans who’ve grown exceedingly comfortable overextending, manipulating, and abusing their power to control, subvert, and obstruct basic functions of government.”

Frederica Freyberg:

That was Marisa Wojcik reporting.