Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, proclaimed Jan. 9 “Michigan Wolverine Day,” hours after the undefeated 15-0 University of Michigan Wolverines beat the University of Washington Huskies 34-13 in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Beyond the university’s win, there’s been a windfall for its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. According to a College Fix analysis, the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based public research university spends some $30.68 million on more than 500 DEI jobs—"an amount that would cover in-state tuition and fees for 1,781 undergraduate students.”
“Thirteen DEI staff members earn more than $200,000 and 66 earn more than $100,000 when factoring in benefits,” per College Fix, which reported that between 500 and 600 full- and part-time UMich staff work in DEI.
The university told the publication that the report is “flawed and misleading,” and that many employees work in DEI in addition to other duties. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are core values at the University of Michigan,” Colleen Mastony, Umich’s assistant vice president for public affairs, told College Fix. “As such, there is not a specific budget set aside for diversity outreach and recruitment.”
“DEI staff is well compensated with salaries as high as $402,800 for the university’s chief diversity administrator, Tabbye Chavous Sellers,” who “is paid almost two times more than the average full professor, about 2.5 times more than the governor, and about three times more than the average assistant or associate professor,” College Fix reported.
“Michigan’s Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s salary is $159,300, and the average salaries for assistant, associate and full professors at UM are $129,500, $148,300 and $206,500, respectively,” it added.
The former longtime heads of the Anti-Defamation League and American Jewish Committee recently said that DEI programs, which discriminate against Jews, cannot be fixed.
