Republican leader criticizes efforts to fire UW system president Rothman

Prose

A Republican legislative leader criticized efforts to remove University of Wisconsin system President Jay Rothman, saying the board of regents is threatening to fire him without giving a reason. The dispute intensified after Rothman sent letters to regents, first obtained by The Associated Press, in which he warned that regents were trying to force him to resign or face dismissal without explanation.

Regents did not comment when contacted by the AP about the letters or the board’s plans. Rothman’s warning marked the first public indication that his job was in jeopardy, according to the report, and it caught university and state officials off guard.

In a Friday statement, Republican state Rep. David Murphy said the “lack of transparency is unacceptable” and argued that Rothman “deserves to know exactly why the Board has lost confidence in his leadership.” Murphy is the chair of the Wisconsin Assembly’s colleges and universities committee and has frequently criticized the university system.

Murphy also suggested that the push to oust Rothman may be linked to the president’s support for free speech and open inquiry on campus. He said he was concerned the effort could “stem from his strong support for free speech and open inquiry on our campuses—core principles that must be defended in higher education,” and he called on the board of regents to either provide a “full explanation” or “stand down from this effort.”

Rothman’s tenure has included efforts to increase state funding despite federal cuts and debates over free speech on campus during pro-Palestinian protests. The AP report also said his time as president has included declining enrollment that led to eight branch campus closures even as overall enrollment held steady.

Employment law attorney Tamara Packard, who reviewed Rothman’s contract for the AP, said Rothman could be fired for “good, bad or no reason as long as it’s not an illegal reason.” She said that under the contract, Rothman would have to receive six months’ notice of termination, and that in practice the person is often directed to focus on transitioning duties rather than continuing to work in the office.

Packard added that if Rothman believes the termination reason is illegal, he could pursue a lawsuit and seek evidence through discovery to support his claim. Separate from the firing decision itself, she noted that Wisconsin’s open meetings compliance guide requires regents votes on issues to be conducted in public and recorded, while discussions about personnel issues that precede a vote can be held in secret.

The conflict also reflects Wisconsin’s shifting political control and the changing composition of regents appointments. Rothman has had to navigate negotiations with a Republican-controlled Legislature during his tenure and a board of regents that has a majority of appointees from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. The AP report said the board was controlled by Evers appointees when Rothman was hired, and it added that Evers is not seeking a third term, meaning a new governor would appoint new regents next year.

Evers’ spokesperson, Britt Cudaback, did not return messages seeking comment. The AP report also said Rothman raised the possibility of resigning in 2023 when regents rejected a deal reached with legislative Republicans over diversity, equity and inclusion efforts before later reversing the vote and approving the deal.

The leadership contest comes as the Madison campus is also losing its chancellor: Jennifer Mnookin is leaving at the end of the current academic year in May to take a presidency at Columbia University. Rothman, a former chair and CEO of the Milwaukee-based law firm Foley & Lardner, had no prior experience administering higher education, according to the AP report, which also said his salary as UW president is $600,943.