MADISON — The fight over racial equity and free speech on Wisconsin college campuses is intensifying, mirroring a national battle as Republicans work to close campus diversity offices and demand that students and faculty treat conservative speakers with respect.
In the past two weeks, the state’s top Republican announced a push to defund the University of Wisconsin System’s diversity efforts — a move the Democratic governor lambasted as ridiculous. Nonetheless, the UW System's chief announced Thursday that he has barred schools from asking job applicants how they would support diversity.
kAm|62?H9:=6[ 2 &(\|25:D@? DEF56?E 92D A@DE65 C24:2= D=FCD @?=:?6[ EC:886C:?8 3:EE6C AC@E6DED 3FE ?@ 2??@F?465 5:D4:A=:?6] p?5 2 DE2E6 >65:42= 4@==686 42?46=65 2 5:G6CD:EJ DJ>A@D:F> 762EFC:?8 #6AF3=:42? &]$] $6?] #@? y@9?D@? @FE @7 4@?46C?D E96 5:D4FDD:@? H@F=5 36 E@@ 5:DCFAE:G6[ C6DF=E:?8 :? 4C:6D @7 3:2D 7C@> 4@?D6CG2E:G6D]k^Am
kAmp>:5 E92E 324<5C@A[ #6AF3=:42? =68:D=2E:G6 =6256CD 96=5 2 962C:?8 %9FCD52J H:E9 @?=J :?G:E65 DA62<6CD E@ 5:D4FDD “9@H E96 =24< @7 7C66 DA6649 2?5 :?E6==64EF2= 5:G6CD:EJ @? 4@==686 42>AFD6D 27764ED E96 BF2=:EJ @7 9:896C 65F42E:@?]”k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< A6@A=6 2C6 E2=<:?8 23@FE G:6HA@:?E 5:G6CD:EJ 2D 36:?8 2D :>A@CE2?E @C >@C6 :>A@CE2?E E92? @E96C EJA6D @7 5:G6CD:EJ[” D2:5 #6AF3=:42? #6A] s2G:5 |FCA9J[ 492:C>2? @7 E96 DE2E6 pDD6>3=J’D 4@==686D 4@>>:EE66[ H9@ AC6D:565 @G6C E96 962C:?8] “p?5 x E9:?< W5:G6CD:EJ 677@CED 2C6?’EX D9@H:?8 2?J 36?67:ED]”k^Am
kAm!2F=6EE6 vC2?36CCJ #FDD6==[ AC6D:56?E @7 E96 }2E:@?2= pDD@4:2E:@? @7 s:G6CD:EJ ~77:46CD :? w:896C t5F42E:@?[ D2:5 :E’D 5:D962CE6?:?8 E@ D66 2 962C:?8 @? 7C66 DA6649 H:E9 @?=J :?G:E65 DA62<6CD] $96 D2:5 E96 v~! :D ECJ:?8 E@ A2:?E 5:G6CD:EJ @77:46D 2D 8:G:?8 >:?@C:E:6D 2? F?72:C 25G2?E286 H96? E96JVC6 @?=J ECJ:?8 E@ 96=A 6G6CJ@?6 F?56CDE2?5 2 3C@25 C2?86 @7 A6CDA64E:G6D]k^Am
kAm“r@?EC2CJ E@ E9@D6 @AA@D65 E@ E96D6 @77:46D[ @FC H@C< :?4=F56D AC@E64E:?8 7C66 DA6649[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm#6AF3=:42?D 2C8F6 E92E 5:G6CD:EJ @77:46D[ 56D:8?65 E@ 96=A >:?@C:E:6D ?2G:82E6 24256>:2[ @?=J 96:89E6? C24:2= E6?D:@?D] p?5 E96 v~! 92D >2:?E2:?65 7@C J62CD E92E 4@==686D 5@?’E 8:G6 4@?D6CG2E:G6 AC6D6?E6CD E96 D2>6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D 2D =:36C2=D E@ DA62< @? 42>AFD]k^Am
kAmp k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^H:D4@?D:?\65F42E:@?\f`b72247fc26bahefah645f6b7d`2g34QmDFCG6J C6=62D65 :? u63CF2CJk^2m 3J E96 &( $JDE6>[ H9:49 :?4=F56D `b 7@FC\J62C D49@@=D[ 7@F?5 2=>@DE 92=7 @7 E96 DEF56?ED H9@ C6DA@?565 2E =62DE D@>6H92E 28C66 E92E 25>:?:DEC2E@CD D9@F=5 32C 4@?EC@G6CD:2= DA62<6CD :7 D@>6 DEF56?ED 7:?5 E96 >6DD286 @776?D:G6]k^Am
kAm%96 :DDF6D 92G6 3F33=65 E@ E96 7@C67C@?E E9:D >@?E9[ DE2CE:?8 H:E9 pDD6>3=J $A62<6C #@3:? '@D’ 2??@F?46>6?E =2DE H66< E92E 96 H2?ED E@ 567F?5 42>AFD 5:G6CD:EJ @77:46D] w6 42==65 E96 @77:46D 2 H2DE6 @7 E2IA2J6C 5@==2CD 2?5 D2:5 E96J 6I246C32E6 E96 C24:2= 5:G:56]k^Am
kAms6>@4C2E:4 v@G] %@?J tG6CD 92D 42==65 '@D’ AC@A@D2= “C:5:4F=@FD[” 3FE '@D’ A=2? EC24<D H:E9 2 ?2E:@?2= v~! AFD9 E@ 5:D>2?E=6 42>AFD 5:G6CD:EJ @77:46D]k^Am
kAm#6AF3=:42? =2H>2<6CD :? 2E =62DE 2 5@K6? DE2E6D 92G6 AC@A@D65 >@C6 E92? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^5:G6CD:EJ\6BF:EJ\:?4=FD:@?\=68:D=2E:@?\f35g5c5da2222hh_a556dh2adfgfcegeQmb_ 5:G6CD:EJ[ 6BF:EJ 2?5 :?4=FD:@? 677@CEDk^2m :? 9:896C 65F42E:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2? 2?2=JD:D 3J %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD FD:?8 E96 3:==\EC24<:?8 D@7EH2C6 !=FC2=] $@>6 AC@A@D2=D H@F=5 32? stx @77:46D @C 2?J 7F?5:?8 7@C E96>] ~E96CD H@F=5 7@C3:5 25>:?:DEC2E@CD 7C@> 4@?D:56C:?8 5:G6CD:EJ 2D A2CE @7 E96 9:C:?8 @C 25>:DD:@?D AC@46DD]k^Am
kAmu24:?8 A@E6?E:2= 3F586E 4FED[ &( $JDE6> !C6D:56?E y2J #@E9>2? 2??@F?465 %9FCD52J >@C?:?8 E92E 96 @C56C65 492?46==@CD @? (65?6D52J E@ DE@A 2D<:?8 ;@3 D66<6CD E@ DFAA=J DE2E6>6?ED @? E96:C 2AA=:42E:@?D 56D4C:3:?8 9@H E96J H@F=5 DFAA@CE 6BF:EJ 2?5 5:G6CD:EJ]k^Am
kAmpD<65 5FC:?8 2 ?6HD 4@?76C6?46 :7 E96 >@G6 H2D 2 4@?46DD:@? E@ '@D[ #@E9>2? C6DA@?565 3J D2J:?8 2AA=:42?ED >2J G:6H E96 C6BF:C6>6?E 2D 2 “A@=:E:42= =:E>FD E6DEQ 2?5 ?@E 2AA=J[ 9FCE:?8 C64CF:E>6?E 677@CED]k^Am
kAm{2DE H66< 2 H9:E6 &(\|25:D@? DEF56?E A@DE65 2 C24:DE D4C665 @?=:?6 :? H9:49 D96 D2:5 D96 H2?ED E@ D66 D@>6 q=24< A6@A=6 6?D=2G65 D@ D96 42? 23FD6 E96>] %96 A@DE EC:886C65 EH@ 52JD @7 AC@E6DED @? (:D4@?D:?’D 7=28D9:A 42>AFD H:E9 DEF56?ED 56>2?5:?8 E96 DEF56?E 36 6IA6==65] &?:G6CD:EJ @77:4:2=D 4@?56>?65 E96 A@DE:?8 3FE D2:5 E96J 42?’E E2<6 24E:@? 282:?DE =682= 7C66 DA6649]k^Am
kAm|62?H9:=6[ @77:4:2=D 2E E96 |65:42= r@==686 @7 (:D4@?D:? 564:565 E@ 42?46= uC:52J’D 42>AFD DJ>A@D:F> 7@4FD:?8 @? “E96 FD6D 2?5 23FD6D” @7 8@G6C?>6?E\DA@?D@C65 5:G6CD:EJ AC@8C2>>:?8 @? 4@==686 42>AFD6D 2?5 :? >65:42=[ D4:6?46 2?5 E649 65F42E:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 4@==686’D AC6D:56?E[ y@9? #2J>@?5 $C][ D6?E 2 >6DD286 |2J c E@ DEF56?ED 2?5 DE277 D2J:?8 96 42?46=65 E96 DJ>A@D:F> 3642FD6 5:D4FDD:@?D 23@FE E96 6G6?E 92G6 364@>6 “F?2446AE23=J 5:DCFAE:G6]” #2J>@?5 :DDF65 E96 >6DD286 @? E96 D2>6 52J 2D @?6 @7 E96 &(\|25:D@? AC@E6DED]k^Am
kAmy@9?D@? H2D D=2E65 E@ E2<6 A2CE :? E96 DJ>A@D:F> 2=@?8 |FCA9J 2?5 y@9? $2:=6C[ A@=:4J 5:C64E@C 2E E96 }2E:@?2= pDD@4:2E:@? @7 $49@=2CD[ 2 4@?D6CG2E:G6 8C@FA E92E 25G@42E6D 282:?DE 5:G6CD:EJ A@=:4:6D] $2:=6C A@DE65 2 4@AJ @7 2 =6EE6C E92E 724F=EJ D6?E E@ #2J>@?5 @? pAC:= b_ D2J:?8 E96J @AA@D65 E96 “AD6F5@\24256>:4 2?5 A@E6?E:2==J 92C>7F= >66E:?8]”k^Am
kAm$2:=6C EH66E65 E92E E96 =6EE6C H2D 2 “E6IE3@@< 964<=6CD G6E@]” y@9?D@?’D @77:46 D2:5 E96 DJ>A@D:F> H:== ?@H 36 96=5 @?=:?6 3FE E96 D6?2E@C D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E E92E 96 9@A6D E@ >66E H:E9 >65:42= 4@==686 =6256CD E@ 5:D4FDD H9J E96J 76=E E96J 4@F=5?’E 9@DE E96 6G6?E]k^Am
kAm|FCA9J <:4<65 @77 %9FCD52JVD 962C:?8 3J 4@>A=2:?:?8 E92E E96 >65:42= 4@==686 925 “42?46=65” 9:>]k^Am
kAms2?:6= wF896D[ H9@ D2:5 96 :D 2 DEF56?E 2E E96 4@==686[ E@=5 E96 4@>>:EE66 E92E E96 :?DE:EFE:@? =62?D D@ 72C =67E E92E :ED 5:G6CD:EJ DE2?46D D@>6E:>6D ECF>A 2AAC@249:?8 AC@3=6>D D4:6?E:7:42==J] u@C 6I2>A=6[ 96 D2:5 96VD 366? E2F89E E92E 3:@=@8:42= 5:776C6?46D 36EH66? C246D 2C6 2 C6DF=E @7 DJDE6>:4 C24:D>[ ?@E 86?6E:4D]k^Am
kAms6>@4C2E:4 DE2E6 #6A] z2EC:?2 $92?<=2?5 BF6DE:@?65 wF896DV 4=2:>D[ D2J:?8 E96C6 H2D ?@ H2J E@ G6C:7J E96> D:?46 ?@ @?6 6=D6 7C@> E96 4@==686 H2D :?G:E65 E@ DA62<] p DA@<6DH@>2? 7@C E96 >65:42= 4@==686 5:5?VE :>>65:2E6=J C6DA@?5 E@ 2 >6DD286 D66<:?8 4@>>6?E %9FCD52J]k^Am
kAm#@E9>2? 255C6DD65 E96 4@>>:EE66 7@C EH@ 9@FCD[ C6A62E:?8 9:D >2?EC2 E92E :?4=FD:@? >FDE >62? D@>6E9:?8 @C E96 DJDE6> H:== =@D6 A@E6?E:2= DEF56?ED 2?5 724F=EJ]k^Am