Assembly lawmakers on Tuesday approved a wide range of proposals that would affect higher education in the state, including an automatic-admission policy for the flagship campus at the Universities of Wisconsin and standardized rules around free speech on state campuses, which Republicans argued would expand intellectual diversity and Democrats warned would have a chilling effect.
Lawmakers also approved changing higher education programs aimed at expanding minority enrollment so that they remove race-specific language and target students deemed “disadvantaged” instead.
The slate of higher education legislation comes amid a political battle over pay raises for most UW employees. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, has said those increases will be on hold until the UW System eliminates positions related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, known as DEI.
Late last month, Gov. Tony Evers filed suit against Republican lawmakers, saying blocking the raises oversteps their legislative authority.