>> THAT WAS MARISA WOJCIK REPORTING.
THE DEAL TO REPURPOSE D.E.I. POSITIONS, QUOTE, DISPARAGES THE
PROSPECT OF BELONGING AT OUR UNIVERSITY.
THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM U.W. STUDENT GROUP ASSOCIATED
STUDENTS OF MADISON. DOMINIC ZAPPIA FROM A.S.M. 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 U.W. BOARD OF REGENTS APPROVING THE CHANGES TO D.E.I.
IN EXCHANGE FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEGISLATURE? >> YEAH, IT'S
-- I THINK AMONG STUDENTS, 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 IT 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 IS -- IT'S FRUSTRATING.
>> SO WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO ROBIN VOS, ASSEMBLY SPEAKER VOS
SAYING, QUOTE, THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP IN WHAT WILL BE OUR
CONTINUING EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE THOSE CANCEROUS D.E.I. PRACTICES
ON U.W. CAMPUSES? >> CONCERNING.
CONCERNING. I THINK THE LANG UAGE 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 HEY'D LIKE, WHATEVER
CURRICULUM. ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE DEAL IS
THAT THE UNIVERSITY WILL HAVE A CHAIRSHIP OF CONSERVATIVE
THOUGHT, AND ALLOWING FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO ENCROACH ON THE
UNIVERSITY'S FREEDOM AND HAD THIS BEING THE FIRST STEP OF
THAT IS FRUSTRATING. HAVING DECISIONS OF POLICY OVER
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
D.E.I. EFFORTS ON THIS CAMPUS? >> YEAH, IT'S A SENSE OF
BELONGING AND A SENSE OF WELCOMING.
BEYOND BEING IN A.S.M., I PERMLY SERVE AS A HOUSE FELLOW IN THE
INTERNATIONAL LEARNING COMMUN ITY. I KNOW HOW VALUABLE IT IS TO
HAVE SPECIFIC D.E.I. 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, 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 WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES
EASILY, BUT D.E.I. IS ESSENTIAL IN MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS
ACCESS TO THE WISCONSIN IDEA AND EXPERIENCE. >> SO THOSE POSI
TIONS ARE TO BE REPURPOSED, ACCORDING TO
REPUBLICAN LED LEGISLATORS, TOWD 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 D.E.I. POSITIONS FOR
THOSE COMMUNITIES OF STUDENTS. I THINK THAT'S -- EQUITY IS
ABOUT SUPPORTING STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY
MARGINALIZED AND DIRECTING THAT TOWARDS EVERYONE IS GOING TO
HAVE SOME STUDENTS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
>> DO YOU TRUST U.W. LEADERS THAT THEY HOLD AS A CORE VALUE
THEIR COMMITMENT TO ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES? >> I THINK IF THEY REALLY
COMMITTED TO THEM, THEY SHOULD SEE THE VALUE OF THOSE D.E.I.
PROGRAMS. I MEAN, ALL STUDENTS IS -- PART
OF RECOGNIZING THAT I SERVE -- 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 SIBLINGS.
SIBLINGS. I THINK TO REALLY BE COMMITTED
TO THOSE CORE VALUES, STUDENTS REQUIRE DIFFERENT SUPPORT THAT
CAN ONLY BE DONE THROUGH D.E.I. >> HOW DO YOU THINK THIS
POLITICAL SHIFT WILL AFFECT STUDENTS FROM UP REPRESENTED
COMMUNITIES AS THEY CONSIDER WHETHER TO EVEN ATTEND U.W.
MADISON OR THE U.W. AT LARGE? >> I THINK FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE
CONSIDERING TO COME TO U.W., 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. 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. THIS IS PART OF MY R
OLE. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO DO.
KNOWING THAT STUDENTS CAN'T -- 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 ZAPPIA, THANKS VERY >> DOMINIC ZAPPIA, THANKS VERY