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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