This will free up $16 million in funds that can now be spent on Education.
Alabama colleges report $16 million spent on DEI. What does that mean?
Rebecca Griesbach | Jan. 24, 2024, 6:58 a.m.As more Republican states clamp down on college diversity efforts, the Alabama legislature is asking state universities to disclose their DEI budgets.
Alabama public four-year colleges spent a total of $16.2 million on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training, staffing and programming in 2022, according to responses to a legislative request obtained by AL.com.
“It is important that we understand the role of these programs, ensure that they have measurable goals and objectives, and are not being duplicated throughout institutions,” education chairmen Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, and Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, wrote in a letter to college presidents in February 2023.
But it’s unclear exactly how colleges are expected to define their diversity and inclusion efforts, and to what extent programs may be affected by possible legislation.
The bulk of reported funds supported salaries for about 140 full- and part-time staff working not only in newly formed diversity offices, but across various college departments, as well as federally-mandated disability and anti-discrimination programs, AL.com found. And while some colleges appeared to overreport their spending, others didn’t report anything. . . .
https://www.al.com/educationlab/2024/01/alabama-colleges-report-16-million-spent-on-dei-what-does-that-mean.html