Editor’s note: The following commentary has been submitted as an open letter to Rep. Ellen Schutt, R-Clinton, who represents Assembly District 31. 

Dear Assembly person Schutt,

I am one of your hundreds of constituents who works at UW–Whitewater.  I write to share my concerns about Speaker Vos’ misguided jihad against higher education and ask you to act on our behalf.

According to Vos, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is an “ideological campaign to force students to believe only one viewpoint is acceptable on campus.”  (The comment and its context are found in a Wisconsin Public Radio story, found here: https://www.wpr.org/uw-regents-discuss-legal-options-battle-over-pay-raises-dei.)  

Nothing could be further from the truth.  DEI is simply how we as educators try to make sure everyone gets a fair chance to succeed in higher education. It is a big umbrella.  It covers students of different ethnicities, genders, and religions; it covers students with disabilities, veterans, and nontraditional students.  Mr. Vos has seized upon this issue to grandstand and push his far-right agenda; I urge you not to follow his suit and instead defend this fundamental principle of higher education.

In his pursuit of the spotlight, Vos is doing direct harm to Wisconsin workers and their families. While our raises would not have even kept up with inflation, at least they would have been a step in the right direction. As a UW faculty member, I’m accustomed to getting paid less than my colleagues at comparable institutions; however, my financial problems pale in comparison to those of my co-workers and friends who work here as custodians, groundskeepers, and administrators.  Holding our pay raises hostage is morally as well as intellectually bankrupt.  Vos seems to think they are acceptable collateral damage in his culture war; I urge you instead to take a stand for your constituents.

I look forward to your response in which you explain the specific steps you will take to intervene on our behalf, and your timeframe for doing so.   

Best regards,

Dr. Karl Brown

Whitewater