UW Regents Secure Funding and DEI Deal in Second Vote

The UW Board of Regents has approved a controversial deal with Republican legislators that will unlock over $800 million in funding for staff raises, infrastructure spending, and a new engineering building at UW-Madison. The deal, which was initially rejected and then approved in a re-vote, has faced criticism from Democrats, the UW-Madison student government, and members of the Legislature's Black Caucus, who argue that it is racist and discriminatory. As part of the agreement, the UW system will restructure a third of its diversity, equity, and inclusion staff positions, but no one will lose their job. The approval of the deal comes after intense political pressure and threats from top Republicans.