UW board fires president Rothman; he tells AP he was blindsided

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Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman said he was “blindsided” by his firing and that the board of regents has not explained why it ousted him. Rothman spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday in his first interview since the dismissal, which came after the regents met behind closed doors for about 30 minutes on Tuesday night. He said he asked for reasons for the decision but that regents “were not able to articulate any.”

The board fired Rothman in a unanimous vote Tuesday night, according to the AP. Regents have not publicly provided a reason for firing Rothman, who had led the system for just under four years. Rothman, 66, told the AP he still had not been given a reason as of Wednesday.

Regent President Amy Bogost said the decision was about the future of Wisconsin’s 13-university system, including the flagship Madison campus, which educates about 165,000 students. In a statement before the firing, Bogost said the Universities of Wisconsin must be led with “a clear vision” that protects and strengthens the flagship, supports the comprehensive universities, and ensures the system is meeting evolving needs of students, the workforce, and communities across all 72 counties.

Rothman said the regents did not discuss his performance objectives during his last review in August, which he described as “astonishing.” He told the AP he did not criticize any regent by name, but he expressed frustration about how the board operates, saying a functional board should provide clarity and leadership to the management team rather than having “18 different voices with different opinions and pet projects.”

Rothman said the AP was the first to report on April 2 that regents had asked him to retire or resign or face being fired. On Wednesday, Rothman said he considered retiring, but decided against it after regents gave him no stated reason. He also told the AP that he did not know whether specific issues from earlier in his tenure contributed to his dismissal, though he conceded they could have.

Rothman’s tenure included efforts to increase state aid for the system amid federal cuts, he told the AP, as well as work navigating free-speech issues around pro-Palestinian protests and grappling with declining enrollment that led to the closure of eight branch campuses. The AP story says overall enrollment across the system remained steady under his leadership.

The AP also reported that Rothman brokered a deal with Republicans in 2023 that included freezing diversity hires and creating a UW-Madison position focused on conservative thought in exchange for state money for employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system. Rothman said he was not sure whether those issues played a role in the board’s decision to fire him.

Rothman told the AP that he was disappointed by the board’s action but said he was not angry. He said the decision was “not about retribution” and that he was “concerned about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin.” Rothman also said he is unlikely to sue, adding that he would “have to see how circumstances develop” but that he did not think it was likely.

Elsewhere in Wisconsin politics, state Sen. Patrick Testin called Rothman’s firing a “blatant partisan hatchet job,” according to the AP. The state Senate’s committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Gov. Tony Evers have not yet been confirmed. Testin said the Senate should reject all 10 appointments, which would prevent them from serving as regents.

As regents’ decision remains undisclosed, Rothman said he would not speculate about why he was dismissed. He said, “I am disappointed with the board’s action, but I’m not angry,” and reiterated that the issue for him is the direction of the Universities of Wisconsin.