Investigation Into UW-Madison Finds Closed DEI Unit Faculty Still Working on Equity Issues
“UW-Madison is a repeat offender, having previously resolved another OCR complaint regarding another BIPOC-only program, yet instituting and promoting the present BIPOC MOSAIC program anyway.”
An investigation by The Center Square found that, despite the recent closure of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Division of Diversity, Equity, and Education Achievement, most staff remain employed and continue working on equity-related initiatives. Employees from the former division, which accrued more than $7 million in annual wages, experienced some demotions but continue to focus on DEI-related programming. Wisconsin state Rep. Amanda Nedweski labeled the closure as “purely cosmetic.”
“The closure was purely cosmetic,” Nedweski told The Center Square.
“Not only is the university not tracking what is being spent, it doesn’t even have a way to measure whether it’s producing the results it was set out to produce.”
State Rep. Jerry O’Connor criticized the university’s accountability system, emphasizing its lack of checks and balances.
“The university system doesn’t think they’re accountable to anybody but themselves.”
As reported by CriticalRace.org, the original closure of the division occurred on July 9, 2025, when Chancellor Mnookin announced the DEI unit “would sunset as a freestanding division” and that its associated programs would “largely be relocated to the Division for Teaching and Learning, along with the leaders and academic advisors supporting this work.”
The Equal Protection Project previously filed a civil rights complaint against the university in October 2024, alleging that the university’s “BIPOC MOSAIC” program engaged in discrimination based on race because it offered mentorship opportunities exclusively to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). The Equal Protection Project emphasized that this was not the first time that UW-Madison had supported a discriminatory program.
“UW-Madison is a repeat offender, having previously resolved another OCR complaint regarding another BIPOC-only program, yet instituting and promoting the present BIPOC MOSAIC program anyway,” stated the complaint.
“Clearly OCR action is needed to bring UW-Madison into compliance with the law.”
CriticalRace.org has identified other universities that have closed DEI offices to appear compliant with Department of Education policies, yet have expressed an unwillingness to completely end discriminatory practices.
In April of 2025, Virginia Commonwealth University shut down its “Division of Inclusive Excellence” following “directions from the federal government against DEI policies and practices,” yet maintained that the office’s mission would continue and that it is “a core value woven into the fabric of the entire institution.”
At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Office of Minority Student Affairs was renamed the Michael L. Jeffries, Sr. Office for Access and Academic Success, yet specifically emphasized its continued “academic support and personal development of first-generation, low-income and historically underrepresented students at Illinois.”
With all of these public institutions receiving millions in state funding, enforcement of Civil Rights has fallen on watchdog organizations like the Equal Protection Project to ensure that all U.S. public university students receive equal treatment under the law.
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The Supreme Court significantly narrowed the scope of affirmative action in college admissions but American colleges are ignoring the ruling. It’s time to award big money damages in cases involving colleges and intentional discrimination based on a person’s race,
Most colleges could have their expenses cut in half with no visible loss of effectiveness. My guess is that the majority could be pared down to about a dozen different departments. The entire basis of these “programs” is simply to generate another department “chair” position and hire an additional administrator plus other ancillary personnel, thus expanding bloat. Even all of the “Studies” could be grouped together under the heading “Bullsh!t.”
Time to throttle down Big Education
Or, just throttle it.
“The College of Bullshit.” “Dean of Bullshit.” “Chair of the Department of Officious Discrimination in the College of Bullshit.” I like it.
I’m from Wisconsin, Madison has always been a pit of commie crap
It was famous for that as far back as the ’60s, and never changed.
“The university system doesn’t think they’re accountable to anybody but themselves…”
Well, of course. That’s because there are no real consequences – like putting these ‘repeat offender’ adminstrators in prison.
Again and still, thank you CriticalRace, EPP, CenterSquare, etc. for doing what you do, but it is still just a game of whack-a-mole in cLoWn WoRlD when private watchdogs are the frontline against public institutions receiving millions in state funding which repeatedly violate civil right laws, and court orders so they can continue to implement egregious deprivation of rights against certain groups.
We either have civil rights laws, or we don’t. We either have the crime of deprivation of rights, or we don’t. We either have state/fed AGs who will put these adminstrators in prison for these crimes, or it is still just a game of whack-a-mole in cLoWn WoRlD.
“it is still just a game of whack-a-mole in cLoWn WoRlD when private watchdogs are the frontline against public institutions”
We pay our taxes to government so they can violate our rights, so we can pay NGO lobbies (who usually lose) to sue government for violating our rights, I remind political candidates of this whenever they beg me for money, explaining that since I have only two legs, my pants have only two pockets.
IMO they need to be jammed up so hard that they BEG to have a consent decree with a Trump Appointed special master to oversee their compliance with full power to fire and close entire Dept/Schools within the Univ b/c that would be preferable to the alternative.
equity in pro sporting events is a must
Thank you for that admission. Now you’ll have to shut down the entire institution.
I am already convinced that “higher education” in America should be completely shut down. It is not necessary to provide additional justification.
Important missing context is that the Republicans in the state government had a compromise that gave UW a ton of public funds in return for curtailing DEI.
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