As cost of college soars, schools spend MILLIONS on diversity salaries
As politicians propose various policies aimed at covering the cost of college, the price of such an education continues to skyrocket.
But as an this ongoing Campus Reform analysis shows, schools are spending millions each year on diversity employee salaries.
Each year, colleges spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, some even millions, in an effort to foster a more diverse and inclusive campus. Universities allocate funds for diversity centers, peer groups, and inclusivity measures all designed to make non-traditional and minority students feel more welcome.
Meanwhile, the cost of a college education continues to skyrocket.
At the University of California Davis, diversity-focused employees cost over $2,272,098 annually, according to 2017 salary records obtained by Campus Reform from the University of California Office of the President.
Campus Reform paired these names and salaries with the names and titles listed on the UC Davis diversity web page which lists the main diversity staff along with various resources associated with campus diversity initiatives.
[RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: UC spends MILLIONS on diversity salaries as Sanders proposes ‘free’ college]
In total, of those listed in both the salary data and on the university’s website, Campus Reform found that UC Davis pays diversity-focused employees a combined annual total of more than $2.2 million in gross wages.
Of the associated centers, departments, and programs listed, the Center for Student Involvement was not included in the report as the center does not specifically mention diversity, equity, or inclusion in its mission statement.
Diversity-focused staff included in this analysis, and listed on the diversity webpage, are employed in the following offices: Undocumented Student Center, Center for African Diaspora Student Success, Center for Chicanx and Latinx Academic Student Success, LGBTQIA Resource Center, Native American Academic Student Success Center, Services for International Students and Scholars, Student Recruitment and Retention Center, Transfer and Reentry Center, Veterans Success Center, and the Women’s Resources and Research Center.
Committees and councils for diversity, equity and inclusion were not included in the salary total, as the associated members hold traditional, primary roles in other areas of the college (such as professors).
[RELATED: EXCLUSIVE REPORT: UC-Berkeley spends $2.3 million annually on diversity employee salaries]
The Cross-Cultural Center staff were not included in this report as there is no staff clearly listed on any of the associated web pages.
Twenty-two employees who are listed as working in one of these teams were not included in the most recently available salary data, which is from 2017. Those 22 individuals’ salaries were not included in the final total.
Students and interns associated with the programs, initiatives, or departments contained in this report were not included in the salary total.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @Grace_Gotcha
