UW-Madison Diversity Officer Gone, But New Position Has Similar Duties
Special advisor role works 'to create a welcoming and inclusive community.'
Bascom Hall on the UW-Madison campus in Madison, Wis. Richard Hurd (CC BY)
With the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs under fire and its chief diversity officer position vacant, the university has created a new position: special advisor to the chancellor and provost.
Percival Matthews, professor and associate dean in the university’s School of Education, has been appointed to a role as a special advisor to Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and Provost Charles Isbell. Matthews will focus on “access and community.”
The special advisor’s role sounds similar to the job duties previously carried out by LaVar Charleston, the school’s former chief diversity officer and head of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement.
In January, UW-Madison removed Charleston from the leadership positions for what university officials said were poor financial decisions he had made for his department, including approving substantial raises and authorizing what they deemed to be excessive spending on travel.
When Charleston was hired in August 2024, his duties included, “Assuming leadership responsibility for inclusive excellence, which recognizes the many ways that facets of identity and background can influence student, faculty, and staff success and sense of belonging.”
When asked about the similarities between Matthews’ and Charleston’s roles, UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas said Matthews’ role is “thinking toward the future.”
Percival Matthews. Photo courtesy the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lucas added that Matthews won’t be overseeing anyone in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement division.
There are no updates on the future of the two DEI leadership roles held by Charleston, Lucas said.
Charleston’s salary was cut from $324,000 to $133,000 in January when he lost his leadership positions and returned to being a professor. He was on voluntary paid leave through April 10. Lucas did not respond to a question regarding his return to UW-Madison.
His new role will “help shape continued efforts to enable academic success for all students and to create an environment conducive to welcoming and respecting different points of view, backgrounds and experiences as part of the overall campus experience for students, staff and faculty,” according to the university.
“We strive to be a place where every student, faculty and staff member, no matter their identity, background or beliefs, can feel a strong sense of connection and belonging within our community, a place where everyone can reach their full potential,” Mnookin said in a statement.
Matthews’ appointment comes at a time of intense scrutiny by state Republican lawmakers over the value of campus and state diversity positions.
Republican-ordered audits released last week found that Wisconsin state agencies and the Universities of Wisconsin have failed to track the millions of dollars they spent on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, making it difficult to fully assess the initiatives.
Auditors estimated, though, that the UW system spent about $40 million on offices with duties connected to DEI.
UW-Madison spent the most on DEI in fiscal year 2023-24 with a total of about $21.8 million.
“These new reports show millions of dollars spent to propagate hateful rhetoric to divide Wisconsinites in our halls of government and universities,” they said in a statement. “The agencies and colleges pushing these DEI initiatives need to be held accountable. We look forward to shining a light on these wasteful practices at next week’s hearing.”
UW system President Jay Rothman has pushed back on the findings, calling the audit numbers out of date.
UW-Madison’s chief diversity officer position remains unfilled, but similar job created was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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They have spent milllions of taxpayer dollars on racist policies? Even after being told that this is illegal and in violation of federal law they are covering this up and continuing to take hardworking taxpayer dollars and using it on race based fraud?