University of Michigan’s Diversity Office Has an $11 Million Payroll

New research into the University of Michigan reveals that the flagship institution’s diversity office has an $11 million payroll.

The research was conducted by American Enterprise Institute Scholar Mark J. Perry, who tweeted on Wednesday that the University of Michigan’s diversity office has approximately 100 staffers and a payroll of $11 million before benefits.

Breitbart News reported on Wednesday that the recently appointed Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at the public Ohio University will make almost $200,000 per year. Breitbart News reported in November 2016 that the University of Michigan’s chief diversity officer pulls in $385,000 annually, more than double that of the average diversity chief at other public universities around the country. The average annual salary for a chief diversity officer at a public university is a whopping $175,000.

It is largely unclear why the University of Michigan needs such a large diversity department. Additionally, it’s unclear exactly what the department is responsible for. In a page on the university’s website entitled “Defining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” the department argues that they aim to make diversity and inclusion efforts a major part of the University of Michigan community.

At the University of Michigan, our dedication to academic excellence for the public good is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is central to our mission as an educational institution to ensure that each member of our community has full opportunity to thrive in our environment, for we believe that diversity is key to individual flourishing, educational excellence and the advancement of knowledge

In a letter published to the University of Michigan’s diversity office website, university president Mark Schlissel argued that the institution cannot excel without their diversity and inclusion efforts. “The University of Michigan cannot be excellent without being diverse in the broadest sense of that word. We also must ensure that our community allows all individuals an equal opportunity to thrive,” Schlissel wrote.