The University of Michigan’s (UM) spending on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) increased about 66% from the 2022-2023 school year, according to an analysis by Mark Perry, a senior fellow at Do No Harm.
The school’s DEI payroll for the 2022-2023 school year came in at $18 million, but increased to over $30 million for the 2023-2024 academic year, according to Perry’s analysis. UM’s DEI department had 132 full-time diversity employees in the 2022-2023 school year and now has over 300. (RELATED: Texas Universities Rebrand ‘Diversity’ Programs As Statewide Ban Goes Into Effect)
More than 500 positions at UM advance DEI in some fashion at the university, including those who work full-time or part-time on DEI, unfilled positions, DEI Unit Leads and faculty that work on DEI Committees, Perry told the DCNF.
“UM is doubling down on diversity,” Perry said.
As a part of the school’s 5-year academic plan, the university’s 19 academic schools and colleges and its 32 non-academic units will also implement DEI plans, according to the report.
“This forced compliance to UM’s diversity orthodoxy is not only very expensive in terms of dollars and wasted human resources, but is troubling because it’s the exact opposite of true intellectual and viewpoint diversity and is in fact compelled uniformity of thought,” Perry told the DCNF.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – MARCH 17: Peyton Grant of Lavallette, New Jersey (L) and Lizzy Anderson of White Pigeon Michigan pack up and move out of their dorm at the University of Michigan on March 17, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Tabbye Chavous, UM’s chief diversity officer, has a salary of $402,800,, while the governor of Michigan makes less than $160,000.
“What is also troubling is that DEI 2.0 is a top-down plan that compels compliance, fealty and obedience from each one of UM’s 51 colleges, schools, and non-academic units (including libraries, museums, the Botanical Gardens, athletics, IT, audit services, student life, etc.) who are now required to advance and promote UM’s DEI efforts for the next five years,” Perry told the DCNF.
Several Republican states have outlawed restricted DEI initiatives at public universities. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill outlawing the practice in June 2023, and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a similar bill in May 2023.
The Iowa Board of Regents recommended in November to eliminate DEI programs at state universities, except for programs necessary for federal compliance. Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an executive order in December calling for the review of DEI practices in the state and the closure of any non-essential DEI offices.
“The university’s DEI efforts are appropriate to the size, scope, and complexity of our university – spanning the university, including 51 units over our three campuses, our academic medical center, and our over 100,000 students and employees. Although some work is done centrally, much of it is done at the unit and department level,” Colleen Mastony, a university spokesperson, told The College Fix.
UM did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comments.
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