The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents unanimously voted to fire system President Jay Rothman in a 30-minute closed-door discussion April 7, ending his nearly four-year tenure.
In a letter to Regent President Amy Bogost on March 26, Rothman said that he was surprised that he had received a directive from the board to either resign or be fired without any explanation.
“When I asked you to articulate reasons for the Board’s conclusion and apparent lack of confidence in me, you merely noted that each Regent has his or her own perspective on the matter,” Rothman said. “You did not provide any tangible reasons for the Board’s determination.”
The Board of Regents met twice in the past two weeks in closed-door sessions to discuss “personnel” but the group has not said what it specifically discussed.
The Advance-Titan reached out to UWO student Desmond Adongo, who serves as one of two student representatives to the Board of Regents, but did not receive a comment on the matter before press time.
Rothman, who was hired by the Board of Regents in 2022 after working as the CEO of Foley & Lander law firm in Milwaukee, told the Associated Press last week that he did not plan on filing a lawsuit against the board.
According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Rothman’s contract states that he must be given six months’ notice before he can be terminated but can be given “reassignment to other duties” while he concludes his time with the board.
The Universities of Wisconsin president is chosen by the Board of Regents, which are all appointed by the governor.
Bogost said that Universities of Wisconsin Vice President for University Relations Chris Patton will serve as the acting executive-in-charge prior to the appointment of an interim president.
Bogost said in a statement last week that the Board of Regents is tasked with conducting an annual performance review of its system president. She said that the regent leadership shared the results of the review with Rothman.
“This process consisted of multiple meetings with the full Board of Regents, including direct conversations and clear feedback regarding leadership expectations,” Bogost said. “President Rothman was not without notice, nor was this process sudden. The board has engaged with President Rothman in good-faith discussions over the past several months. This does not diminish the President’s many contributions, which we acknowledge and greatly appreciate.”
In Rothman’s letter to Bogost on March 26, he said he was never asked to participate in a meeting with the board.
“In light of the current circumstances, I do not believe my resignation at this time is in the best interests of either the Universities of Wisconsin or the state of Wisconsin,” Rothman said. “… I understand that, as you indicated on Saturday, the board may act to terminate my employment, which the board is empowered to do. If, however, the full board would like to discuss this matter with me in either an open or closed session, I would welcome the opportunity to participate in such a meeting.”
Bogost said that the system president serves at the pleasure of the board, which determines if its leader continues to hold its confidence.
“This governance structure is standard practice, and it exists to ensure that we remain accountable to the public we are honored to serve,” Bogost said. “At a time of profound change in higher education, this decision is about the future. The Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities, and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce, and communities across all 72 counties.”
In his letter to Bogost, Rothman listed 37 accomplishments to argue that he should keep his job.
Rothman’s list said that he “worked with chancellors to eliminate structural deficits at all 13 universities” and that he “obtained over $2.5 billion in state capital investments in the Universities of Wisconsin in the last two biennia.”
“If the foregoing list is not sufficient evidence of my leadership in driving bold and transformative change, I really do not know what is,” he said.
Rothman said in his letter to Bogost that it is an honor to serve as the president of the system.
“Our 13 universities educate over 164,000 students annually and produce approximately 37,000 graduates each year,” he said. “It is a privilege to both witness and play a small role in our students’ educational journeys which change the trajectory of their lives.”
