That was Marissa Wojczyk reporting.
The deal to repurpose DEI positions, quote, disparages the prospect of belonging at our
university.
That's the message from UW student group associated students of Madison.
Dominic Zapier from ASM joins us now, and thanks very much for being here.
Thank you so much for inviting me.
It's a pleasure.
What is your further reaction to the UW Board of Regents approving the changes to DEI
in exchange for funding from the legislature?
Yeah, it's, I think the feeling among students is we're disappointed and disheartened.
I don't think this was a surprise for us as much.
I think we've kind of seen it coming, but the signal that sends to marginalized students
on campus, that there's not a place for them that they don't have that sense of belonging,
that this university isn't willing to put money to support those students.
It's frustrating.
Yeah, so what's your response to Robin Voss, Assembly Speaker Voss, saying, quote, this
is just the first step in what will be our continuing efforts to eliminate those cancerous
DEI practices on UW campuses?
Concerning, concerning.
I think the language there of the first step is really what gets me.
I think as students we were concerned that this opens the door for the legislature to
further pressure the university to put in whatever content they'd like, whatever curriculum.
One of the parts of the deal is that the university will have a chair-ship of conservative thought,
and allowing for the legislature to encroach on the university's freedom, and this being
the first step of that is frustrating.
Making decisions over policy, having decisions over how this university is structured is dangerous,
and it does not make me feel welcome knowing that they can so quickly intervene and will
likely do so again.
How are students helped by DEI efforts on this campus?
Yeah, it's a sense of belonging and a sense of welcoming.
Beyond being an ASM, I personally serve as a house fellow in the international learning
community, and I know how valuable it is to have specific DEI programs to support students,
to have named staff members with specific focuses on these issues supporting students.
First, academics having specialized tutoring for having belonging and creating events
in community, those programs are so essential in making students feel like they can connect
here in Wisconsin, right?
A lot of students come to Madison and they feel they can connect those communities easily,
but DEI is essential in making sure that everyone has access to the Wisconsin IDN experience.
So those positions are to be repurposed according to Republican legislators towards
student achievement.
Given that there are some stark disparities in things like graduation rates among students
of color, wouldn't that be a positive thing, kind of putting these all towards student
achievement?
Sure, sure.
I can see where Vos is coming from, but there's specific value in those DEI positions for
those communities of students.
I think that's messed with this, right?
It's about supporting students who have been historically marginalized and directing that
towards everyone is going to have some students fall through the cracks.
With DEI, it's not only, it's good policy.
It's good administration to have specific groups, specific communities targeted towards specific
students that are more likely to fall through the cracks.
To make sure that's, yeah.
Does that make sense, sorry, to make sure I'm getting the full question.
So how do you think this political shift will affect students from unrepresentative
communities as they consider whether to even attend UW-Madison or the UW at large?
Yes.
I think for students who are considering to come to UW, knowing that this university
essentially traded programs supporting them for a building and for staff raises, it's
not a good sign.
I can't imagine feeling welcomed here after what happened today, and it would definitely
impact my decision, and I would not feel welcomed if I knew what they did.
Given that you are a student leader, and you represent all students, and you serve in the
international community, does this feel personal, do you think, for students of color?
I think so.
There was an incident last spring that happened with the university as well, where a racist
video came out, and the university was unable to take action.
I think it's further showing to students that this is not a place they feel welcomed.
As a house fellow for my residents, I care about them deeply as part of my role, and
I'm grateful to do.
Knowing that students aren't invited to the table for these decisions, that students
don't have a say in these things, I feel like I can't protect my community as a student
on this campus, and it hurts.
Dominic, Sapia, thanks very much.
Thank you.
More value of helping all students, including those from underrepresented communities.
Do you trust that?
I think that they are really committed, and they should see the value of these DEI programs.
All students are part of recognizing that, for me personally, part of recognizing that
I serve all students is that I serve a vast variety of communities, and different communities
require different supports, different resources and accessibility.
I think to really be committed to those core values, you need to recognize that students
aren't a monolith, and students require different support.
They can only be done through DEI.
That's probably my answer to that, I would say.
Thank you.
Appreciate it.
Thank you.
So you must be a pretty busy person this week.
And are you done with all your finals and stuff?
The 20th, I think.