Wisconsin university regents reject deal with Republicans to reduce diversity positions

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Universities of Wisconsin regents have narrowly rejected a deal with Republicans that would have given employees a pay raise and paid for construction of a new engineering building in exchange for reductions in staff positions focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The regents voted 9-8 during an emergency meeting Saturday to reject the deal reached Friday after being brokered by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. The vote was immediately panned by leaders of the Assembly Republican caucus as a continuation of an “ideological campaign to force students to believe only one viewpoint is acceptable on campus.”