Wisconsin audits find lack of tracking of DEI spending at university system and state agencies

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican-ordered audits released Friday found that Wisconsin state agencies and the University of Wisconsin system have failed to track the millions of dollars they spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, making it difficult to fully assess the initiatives.

The highly anticipated reports come amid a push by President Donald Trump to end federal government support for DEI programs. There have been similar efforts in Wisconsin by Republicans who control the Legislature.

The reports' findings are likely to further increase pressure from Republicans to do away with anything related to DEI.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison, the system’s flagship campus, is one of 50 universities across the country that Trump said are under investigation for alleged racial discrimination related to DEI programs. UW-Madison also is one of 60 schools that federal education officials are investigating because of accusations that they failed to protect Jewish students during campus protests last year over the war in Gaza.

The audits found that neither UW nor the 15 state agencies that were audited specifically tracked how much money they spent on DEI efforts during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which ended June 30.

Audits estimate that millions of dollars went toward DEI activities

Although the audits couldn't determine a total amount spent on DEI efforts that year, they estimated that the UW system spent about $40 million on offices with duties connected to DEI. The system spent about $12.5 million on salaries for positions with job duties related to DEI and another $8 million working on DEI-related activities.

The report determined that 12 state agencies spent about $2.2 million on salaries for jobs related to DEI.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration didn't consistently require agencies to ensure DEI plans were developed and implemented correctly, the audit found. Also, agencies didn't consistently document when they corrected noncompliance, the report said.

The administration cautioned about drawing conclusions about the actual costs related to DEI as outlined in the audit.

Many of the costs were related to implementing programs required by law, were human resources best practices, or were tied to worker retention and recruitment efforts, said Kathy Blumenfeld, who heads the state's Department of Administration.

GOP pushes to eliminate DEI programs

Legislative Republicans have been pushing for years to end DEI programs and last year ordered the review by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has pledged to end diversity efforts in state government, saying such initiatives are “cancerous” and that he wants a society that is “truly colorblind.”

Under a deal reached with Republicans in 2023, the UW system froze diversity hires, re-labeled about 40 diversity positions as “student success” positions and dropped an affirmative action hiring program at UW-Madison. In exchange, the Legislature paid for staff raises and construction projects.

Auditors found that when the deal took effect, the system had at least 123 full-time positions that provided DEI services, had job titles that included the terms “diversity, equity and inclusion” or were senior leadership positions focused on DEI. The number of positions had dropped to 110 by May 2024.

There are now 64 positions, UW spokesperson Jack Jablonski said Friday.

The governor required agencies to create DEI plans

Evers signed an executive order in 2019 requiring each state agency to create and monitor equity and inclusion plans to address employment barriers, assess workplaces to ensure they’re equitable and promote inclusion and expand professional development to encourage a more inclusive culture.

The audit looked at what agencies have done to comply with that order, how much compliance has cost and outcomes.