University of Michigan (UM) doesn't just have the nation's top football team, it's also "the No. 1 Diversity University in the country," according to a new report.
On the heels of the Wolverines winning college football's national championship Monday night, The College Fix released an analysis Tuesday that found full-time DEI staff at UM costs the school approximately $30.68 million per year, with $23.24 million for staff salaries and $7.44 million for employee fringe benefits.
"To put that in perspective, $30.68 million would pay in-state tuition and fees ($17,228) for 1,781 undergraduate students," the report noted.
It also found that 13 staff members earned more than $200,000, with the highest going to UM’s vice provost for equity and inclusion & chief diversity officer, Tabbye Chavous Sellers, who earns $402,800.
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"In contrast, Michigan’s governor Gretchen Whitmer’s salary is $159,300, and the average salaries for assistant, associate, and full professors at UM are $129,500, $148,300, and $206,500 respectively. Therefore, UM’s chief diversity officer is paid almost 2X more than the average full professor at UM, 2.5X more than the governor, and about 3X more than the average UM assistant or associate professor," the report added.
Sixty-six other DEI officers earned more than $100,000 with the average salary coming in at $96,400. Including fringe benefits, however, up to 144 DEI employees at UM received total compensation worth more than $100,000.
In 2021, Michigan was found to have the highest number of DEI staff members, out of 65 universities the Heritage Foundation studied, at 163. By 2023, the number of personnel had increased to 241, solidifying it as "the No. 1 Diversity University in the country," according to the College Fix.
The report also suggested that the 241 number could be undercounting the DEI presence at the school. The College Fix noted that there are "dozens of diversity-related committees throughout the university in various departments, schools, colleges, and units" that have between eight to 20 members. This could potentially expand the total number of DEI employees to over 500.
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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Michigan spokesperson Colleen Mastony called the report "inaccurate" and "misleading."
"Diversity, equity and inclusion are core values at the University of Michigan. As such, there is not a specific budget set aside for diversity outreach and recruitment. Most employees working on DEI are not solely dedicated to DEI efforts but do so in addition to their other roles and responsibilities," Mastony said.
"The university’s DEI efforts are appropriate to the size, scope, and complexity of our university – spanning the university, including 51 units over our three campuses, our academic medical center, and our over 100,000 students and employees. Although some work is done centrally, much of it is done at the unit and department level. This is important to ensure that DEI efforts align with and make sense for campus units with very different functions and missions," she added.
