Republican-ordered audits in Wisconsin released on April 11, 2025, revealed that state agencies and the University of Wisconsin system failed to track their spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. This lack of tracking makes it difficult to fully assess these initiatives. The reports come at a time when President Donald Trump and Wisconsin Republicans are pushing to eliminate federal government support for DEI programs. The audits estimated that the UW system spent about $40 million on DEI-related activities in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, while state agencies spent about $2.2 million on DEI-related salaries.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration was found to be inconsistent in ensuring DEI plans were developed and implemented correctly within state agencies. The audits have further fueled Republican efforts to end DEI programs, with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos labeling such initiatives as “cancerous.” Under a 2023 deal with Republicans, the UW system froze diversity hires and re-labeled positions, leading to a decrease in DEI-related positions within the system. The audits also examined compliance with an executive order signed by Evers in 2019 requiring state agencies to create and monitor equity and inclusion plans.
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