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1 Year, $2.5 Million
A new report is shedding more light on why UW-Madison’s director of Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement lost his job.
The report, which was released Friday, details how former DDEEA chief LaVar Charleston spent millions of dollars, handed out bonuses and raises, and never fully communicated any of it to anyone else at the school.
"Between December 1, 2023, and December 1, 2024...DDEEA submitted 72 lump sum increases, 63 of which exceeded a 3% (of base salary) threshold, impacting 89% of the division’s employees—an unusually high percentage," the report explained. "These increases ranged from 10% to 23% of their base salary, amounting to between $6,800 and over $37,000."
But perhaps the most damning part of the report came from what Charleston spent on training, travel, and events. Which totals over $2.5 million last year alone.
“FY23 and FY24 expenses for DDEEA’s travel, professional development and events totaled $1.7million and $2.65 million, respectively. Pre-pandemic FY19 expenses in these categories totaled$1.16 million,” the report explains. “DDEEA spent an average of $10,955per employee FTE in FY24. This was the single highest average spend among all campus divisions.All other divisions averaged $3,303 in travel and event expenses per employee.”
The report does not detail where those trips or training took place, or who was allowed to go.
UW-Madison removed Charleston from his job at the DDEEA in January, but did not fire him. He’s currently on leave from his $133,000 job as a professor. He made over $300,000 as DEI boss.
The report also details how the university’s governance system allowed Charleston to spend so much money without anyone knowing until afterwards.
The report does suggest ways to fix that, including new permission and supervision requirements, as well as an outside audit.
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