Florida’s 12 public universities said they spent about $34.5 million, of a total $14.8 billion operating budget, on diversity initiatives and related efforts, according to records gathered at the request of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ budget office.
The records were assembled in a 35-page response to a late December request that all state colleges and universities detail what they spend on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and activities related to critical race theory.
Since then, the governor has criticized universities for accommodating “trendy ideologies” and begun what some are calling an effort to “recapture” higher education from “woke” influence.
The data shows that FAMU spent highest amount of state funds roughly $4.1 million on expenses a related to operating the Black Archives Research Center and Museum (created by the Florida Legislature in 1971), a Center for Disability Access and the Center for Environmental Equity and Justice, which was funded into existence by the Legislature in 1998.
The University of South Florida spent the most of any school — a total of $8.7 million, with about $2.5 million coming from the state. Other expenses included the university’s supplier diversity program, which was touted for creating economic opportunities for minority-owned local businesses and trainings; a handful of general education courses; and funding for USF’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which is in the process of hiring a chief diversity officer.
USF also counted spending $4.1 million on its Upward Bound program for low-income, first-generation college students among its expenses, which was federally funded.
The University of Florida spent a total of $5.3 million, of which $3.3 million came from state funds.
Florida State University spent $2.45 million, with $2.25 million coming from the state. Among the programs that received money: FSU’s Power of We civil discourse initiative; NCAA compliance training; and 35 courses, including Topics in Buddhism, Black Women in America and Classical Perspectives in Dance.
Ironically, the State University System of Florida had adopted social justice as one of its main tenets in strategic plans for all universities this past summer.
The Florida Department of Education has yet to release records on diversity efforts at the state’s 28 public colleges. But on Wednesday the department said all of the college presidents issued a joint statement that “rejects the progressivist higher education indoctrination agenda.”
The responses shows that $20.7 million — or about 60 percent of what universities spend on diversity efforts — comes from the state, with the remainder from sources like the federal government.
Florida International University spent $3.1 million, with $2.25 million from the state, and the University of Central Florida spent $4.47 million, including $2.3 million in state funds. Expenses at UCF included the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, which issues a national race and gender report card.