Virginia Colleges Spent over $15 Million on Diversity Administrators

Public universities in Virginia spent a whopping $15 million on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) administrators in 2020, a report from College Fix highlighted.

The Virginia Association of Scholars (VAS) found that $15 million was spent on DEI administrators across the state’s universities and colleges in a recently released report. 

William Knorpp, an author of the study and the president of VAS, told College Fix that the $15 million sum was the “most conservative, minimal estimate possible.” The “spending is skyrocketing,” he also added.

The report from VAS defined DEI as “a set of slogans associated with ‘critical race theory’ (CRT), ‘critical social justice’ (CSJ), and other leftist ideologies.”

The report explained the ideologies, stating “One thread running through CRT and CSJ is that oppression and discrimination are pervasive, and that this oppression explains all measured differences in group outcomes.” 

While 15 colleges and universities in the state were surveyed, only two — the Virginia Military Institute and Virginia State University — did not have DEI administrators in 2020. The Virginia Military Institute went on to hire a Chief Diversity Officer the following year.

Among the 13 other colleges and universities, each one spent an average of $1.15 million on DEI administrators. The DEI spending varied wildly between the institutions, however. While Christopher Newport University only spent $110,376 on one DEI administrator, the University of Virginia spent over $4 million on 38 different DEI administrators.

The report went on to note that “many DEI offices, centers, and councils are staffed in part or whole by full-time faculty as opposed to administrators.” It also explained that faculty who take DEI roles can apply to reduce the number of classes they teach. 

The DEI agenda has become ubiquitous in colleges and universities across the country. Even overwhelmingly Republican states are funding the DEI agenda, which is rooted in Critical Race Theory. In Indiana, for example, Critical Race Theorist and founder of the 1619 Project Nikole Hannah-Jones received over $100k for just two days of work, an agreement with the Trustees of Indiana University revealed.

Meanwhile in Oklahoma, State Superintendent Ryan Walters is demanding to know “every dollar” that has been spent on the DEI agenda in state universities over the last 10 years. 

Spencer Lindquist is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerLndqst and reach out at slindquist@breitbart.com.