“For people on the left, DEI has become their new religion,” Republican state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told the AP in June. “They no longer go to church on Sunday, but boy, are they trying to make sure everybody is evangelized on campus, that’s there only one acceptable viewpoint. That’s not what I think taxpayers should be funding.”

The budget signed by Evers allows the university to earn the funding back if they show lawmakers they have been focusing on workforce development programs instead of DEI initiatives. Evers used a partial veto on the state budget, allowing the university to keep its 188 DEI positions and offices, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

[That adds up to almost $16 million in this biennial budget. That’s a lot of money to spend on personnel who won’t be doing what they’re getting paid to do. Still, it’s progress. Evers got forced into this by a Republican legislature that refused to back down when Evers threatened a full veto. That’s how this is done. — Ed]