>> THAT WAS MARISA WOJCIK REPORTING.

THE DEAL TO REPURPOSE D.E.I.

POSITIONS, QUOTE, DISPARAGES THE PROSPECT OF BELONGING AT OUR UNIVERSITY.

THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM U.W.

STUDENT GROUP ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF MADISON.

DOMINIC ZAPPIA FROM A.S.M.

JOINS US NOW, AND THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME.

IT'S A PLEASURE.

>> WHAT IS YOUR FURTHER REACTION TO THE U.W.

BOARD OF REGENTS APPROVING THE CHANGES TO D.E.I.

IN EXCHANGE FOR FUNDING FROM THE LEGISLATURE?

>> YEAH, IT'S -- I THINK AMONG STUDENTS, WE'RE DISAPPOINTED AND DISHEARTENED.

I DON'T THINK THIS WAS A SURPRISE FOR US AS MUCH.

I THINK WE'VE KIND OF SEEN IT COMING, BUT THE SIGNAL IT SENDS TO MARGINALIZED STUDENTS ON CAMPUS THAT THERE'S NOT A PLACE FOR THEM, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT SENSE OF BELONGING, THAT THIS UNIVERSITY ISN'T WILLING TO PUT MONEY TO SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS IS -- IT'S FRUSTRATING.

>> SO WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO ROBIN VOS, ASSEMBLY SPEAKER VOS SAYING, QUOTE, THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP IN WHAT WILL BE OUR CONTINUING EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE THOSE CANCEROUS D.E.I.

PRACTICES ON U.W.

CAMPUSES?

>> CONCERNING.

CONCERNING.

I THINK THE LANG UAGE THERE OF THE FIRST STEP IS REALLY WHAT GETS ME.

I THINK AS STUDENTS, WE WERE CONCERNED THAT THIS OPENS THE DOOR FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO FURTHER PRESSURE THE UNIVERSITY TO PUT IN WHATEVER CONTENT HE Y'D LIKE, WHATEVER CURRICULUM.

ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE DEAL IS THAT THE UNIVERSITY WILL HAVE A CHAIRSHIP OF CONSERVATIVE THOUGHT, AND ALLOWING FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO ENCROACH ON THE UNIVERSITY'S FREEDOM AND HAD THIS BEING THE FIRST STEP OF THAT IS FRUSTRATING.

HAVING DECISIONS OF POLICY OVER IS STRUCTURED IS DANGEROUS, AND- IT DOES NOT MAKE ME FEEL WELCOME, KNOWING THAT THEY CAN SO QUICKLY INTERVENE AND WILL LIKELY DO SO AGAIN.

>> HOW ARE STUDENTS HELPED BY D.E.I.

EFFORTS ON THIS CAMPUS?

>> YEAH, IT'S A SENSE OF BELONGING AND A SENSE OF WELCOMING.

BEYOND BEING IN A.S.M., I PERMLY SERVE AS A HOUSE FELLOW IN THE INTERNATIONAL LEARNING COMMUN ITY.

I KNOW HOW VALUABLE IT IS TO HAVE SPECIFIC D.E.I.

PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, TO HAVE NAMED STAFF MEMBERS WITH SPECIFIC FOCUSES ON THESE ISSUES SUPPORTING STUDENTS.

FIRST ACADEMICS, HAVING SPECIALIZED TUTORING, FOR HAVING -- BELONGING, CREATING EVENTS IN COMMUNITY.

THOSE PROGRAMS ARE SO ESSENTIAL IN MAKING STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN CONNECT HERE IN WISCONSIN, RIGHT?

A LOT OF STUDENTS COME TO MADISON AND THEY FEEL THEY CAN CONNECT WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES EASILY, BUT D.E.I.

IS ESSENTIAL IN MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THE WISCONSIN IDEA AND EXPERIENCE.

>> SO THOSE POSI TIONS ARE TO BE REPURPOSED, ACCORDING TO REPUBLICAN LED LEGISLATORS, TOWD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

GIVEN THAT THERE ARE SOME STARK DISPARITIES IN THINGS LIKE GRADUATION RATES AMONG STUDENTS OF COLOR, WOULDN'T THAT BE A POSITIVE THING, KIND OF PUTTING THESE ALL TOWARDS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT?

>> SURE, SURE.

I CAN SEE WHERE VOS IS COMING FROM, BUT THERE'S SPECIFIC VALUE IN THOSE D.E.I.

POSITIONS FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES OF STUDENTS.

I THINK THAT'S -- EQUITY IS ABOUT SUPPORTING STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED AND DIRECTING THAT TOWARDS EVERYONE IS GOING TO HAVE SOME STUDENTS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

>> DO YOU TRUST U.W.

LEADERS THAT THEY HOLD AS A CORE VALUE THEIR COMMITMENT TO ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES?

>> I THINK IF THEY REALLY COMMITTED TO THEM, THEY SHOULD SEE THE VALUE OF THOSE D.E.I.

PROGRAMS.

I MEAN, ALL STUDENTS IS -- PART OF RECOGNIZING THAT I SERVE -- FOR ME PERSONALLY, PART OF RECOGNIZING THAT I SERVE ALL STUDENTS IS THAT I SERVE A VAST VARIETY OF COMMUNITIES, AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES REQUIRE DIFFERENT SUPPORTS, DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND SIBLINGS.

SIBLINGS.

I THINK TO REALLY BE COMMITTED TO THOSE CORE VALUES, STUDENTS REQUIRE DIFFERENT SUPPORT THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE THROUGH D.E.I.

>> HOW DO YOU THINK THIS POLITICAL SHIFT WILL AFFECT STUDENTS FROM UP REPRESENTED COMMUNITIES AS THEY CONSIDER WHETHER TO EVEN ATTEND U.W.

MADISON OR THE U.W.

AT LARGE?

>> I THINK FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING TO COME TO U.W., KNOWING THAT THIS UNIVERSITY ESSENTIALLY TRADED PROGRAMS SUPPORTING THEM FOR A BUILDING AND FOR STAFF RAISES, IT'S NOT A GOOD SIGN.

I CAN'T IMAGINE FEELING WELCOMED HERE AFTER WHAT HAPPENED TODAY, AND IT WOULD DEFINITELY IMPACT MY DECISION AND I WOULD NOT FEEL WELCOMED IF I KNEW WHAT THEY DID.

>> GIVEN THAT YOU ARE A STUDENT LEADER AND YOU REPRESENT ALL STUDENTS AND YOU SERVE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, DOES THIS FEEL PERSONAL, DO YOU THINK, FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR?

>> I THINK SO.

I THINK SO.

THERE WAS AN INCIDENT LAST SPRING THAT HAPPENED WITH THE UNIVERSITY AS WELL WHERE A RACIST VIDEO CAME OUT AND THE UNIVERSITY WAS UNABLE TO TAKE ACTION.

I THINK IT'S FURTHER SHOWING TO STUDENTS THAT THIS IS NOT A PLACE THEY FEEL WELCOMED.

AS A HOUSE FELLOW FOR MY RESIDENTS, I CARE ABOUT THEM DEEPLY.

THIS IS PART OF MY R OLE.

AND I'M GRATEFUL TO DO.

KNOWING THAT STUDENTS CAN'T -- STUDENTS AREN'T INVITED TO THE TABLE FOR THESE DECISIONS, THAT STUDENTS DON'T HAVE A SAY IN THESE THINGS, I FEEL LIKE I CAN'T PROTECT MY COMMUNITY AS A STUDENT ON THIS CAMPUS, AND IT HURTS.

>> DOMINIC ZAPPIA, THANKS VERY >> DOMINIC ZAPPIA, THANKS VERY