>> THE UNIVERSITIES OF WISCONSIN BOARD OF REGENTS TOOK A U-TURN
THIS WEEK, VOTING 11 TO 6 TO
APPROVE A DEAL NEGOTIATED WITH REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY SPEAKER
ROBIN VOS, AFTER A VOTE ON THE VERY SAME DEAL FAILED JUST DAYS
EARLIER. AT STAKE WAS HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR EMPLOYEE PAY RAISES, BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRAINING PROGRAMMING RELATED TO
DIVERITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. WE SHOULD NOTE, PBS WISCONSIN IS
PART OF U.W. MADISON. >> LAST SATURDAY, THIS BOARD
FACED ONE OF ITS TOUGHEST VOTES IN MEMORY.
>> SATURDAY'S VOTE OF THE U.W. BOARD OF REGENTS FAILED 9-8,
WITH ALL TWO VOTED AGAINST THE DEAL BEING APPOINTED OR
REAPPOINTED BY DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR TONY EVERS.
THE BOARD HAD CALLED THREE SPECIAL MEETINGS OVER SEVERAL
DAYS THIS WEEK, ONE OF WHICH WAS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AND
POSSIBLY VIOLATED NOTICE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE STATE'S
OPEN MEETINGS LAW. SOME REGENTS WHO CHANGED THEIR
VOTES FROM NO TO YES DID SO WITH DISTRESS. >> SPEAKER VOS' DE
FINITION OF D.E.I. IS DIVISION, EXCLUSION
AND INDOCTRINATION. HE HAS CREATED AND PERPETUATED
THIS BATTLE HERE IN WISCONSIN. WE AREN'T WALKING AROUND ARGUING
ABOUT D.E.I. >> THOSE WHO VOTED NO BOTH TIMES
WERE RESOLUTE. >> I FEAR THAT ACCEPTANCE OF
THIS TACTIC WILL ONLY EMBOLDEN ITS ADHERENCE, LEADING TO A
NEVER ENDING CYCLE OF BRINKMANSHIP, SIMPLY TO EXTRACT
A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED POLICY CONCESSION THAT THEY DON'T HAVE
THE POWER TO LEGISLATE. >> SOME WHO VOTED YES BOTH TIMES
STILL DIDN'T LIKE THE DEAL. >> THIS DEAL, DISTASTEFUL THOUGH
IT IS, IN MY JUDGMENT, AND ON BALANCE GIVES US A BETTER
ABILITY TO SERVE NOT ONLY THOSE STUDENTS, BUT ALL STUDENTS.
>> BUT OTHERS SAW IT NECESSARY TO COMPROMISE.
>> IT'S MY FIDUCIARY DUTY TO PUT THE NEEDS OF THIS SYSTEM IN
FRONT OF ANY PERSONAL OPINION I MAY HOLD.
>> THE VOTE ENDED WITH THE RESOLUTION PASSING 11-6.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS
HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE CONDEMNING THE MOVE.
>> IT IS DISCRIMINATORY TOWARDS STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF OF
COLOR BECAUSE THEIR EXPERIENCES SHOULD NEVER HAVE A PRICETAG.
>> SPEAKER VOS RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING, QUOTE, OUR
CAUCUS OBJECTIVE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AIMED AT DISMANTLING THE
BUREAUCRACY AND DIVISION RELATED TO D.E.I., AND REPRIORITIZING
OUR UNIVERSITIES TOWARDS AN EMPHASIS ON WHAT MATTERS:
STUDENT SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT. GOVERNOR TONY EVERS IN HIS OWN
STATEMENT SAID, QUOTE, THIS VOTE TODAY REPRESENTS A VAST
OVERREACH BY A GROUP OF REPUBLICANS WHO'VE GROWN
EXCEEDINGLY COMFORTABLE OVEREXTENDING, MANIPULATING, AND
ABUSING THEIR POWER TO CONTROL, SUBVERT, AND OBSTRUCT BASIC
FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT. FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT.