TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said preliminary results of a survey conducted by  Florida’s Department of Education and state university system “revealed an extraordinary misuse of taxpayer dollars to promote a political agenda at the expense of academic focus.”

In December, DeSantis’ office sent a memo to Education Commissioner Manny Diaz and State University Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, requesting information about how much money was spent on “diversity, equity, and inclusion and critical race theory,” at Florida’s public colleges and universities.

State colleges and universities had to list and describe all programs related to DEI and CRT and provide information about staff and how much taxpayer money was used on each program.

8 On Your Side investigator Mahsa Saeidi obtained results of the survey on Thursday.

“It is our belief that the self-reported figures from state universities….were significantly misreported and under-reported,” DeSantis’ spokesman Bryan Griffin said in a statement. “These DEI and CRT bureaucracies are large, bloated, and self-serving. Nonetheless, what was reported revealed an extraordinary misuse of taxpayer dollars to promote a political agenda at the expense of academic focus.”

According to Griffin, the survey found:

  • “The “Chief Diversity Officer” and support staff at the University of Florida cost taxpayers over $750,000 per year
  • The “Center for Environmental Equity and Justice” at FAMU costs taxpayers $1.8 million per year
  • The “Diversity and Inclusion Office” at USF costs taxpayers over $1.1 million per year
  • The “Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” at FIU costs taxpayers over $1 million per year
  • The UCF Vice President for “Diversity Equity and Inclusion” and assistant are paid a combined $445,000 annually, at taxpayer expense

News Channel 8 is reaching out to the schools for comment.

At a press conference in Manatee County on Tuesday, DeSantis vowed to strip funding for state college diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Critics say students will suffer if the cuts are made.

“It’s a clear attack on free speech in higher education,” said Andrew Gothard, president of the United Faculty of Florida (UFF), the union that represents faculty members at Florida’s public colleges and universities. “The words themselves, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” show that these programs are not just about race; they are about ensuring that everyone has fair and equal access to Florida’s higher education classrooms.”

This story is developing.