Fired Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman tells AP he was ‘blindsided’ by his ouster
MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) — Fired Universities of Wisconsin Chairman Jay Rothman told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he was “blindsided” in his first interview since his impeachment. by movement but they have no hard feelings and are unlikely to file a lawsuit.
Rothman was fired by a unanimous vote of the board of regents on Tuesday night, following a nearly 30-minute closed-door discussion. proxies I didn’t give a reason for firing Rothman, who had been on the job for less than four years.
“I was definitely caught off guard,” Rothman told the AP. He said no reason has yet been provided for his dismissal.
“I really don’t know,” Rothman said. “I asked why. They couldn’t explain it clearly.”
But Rothman, who took the job in 2022 after serving as president and CEO of a Milwaukee-based law firm with more than 1,000 lawyers, said he was unlikely to file a lawsuit over his firing.
“We’ll have to see how conditions develop,” Rothman said. “I don’t think I’ll go in that direction. That’s not who I am.”
AP was: first to report He said on April 2 that regents had asked Rothman, 66, to retire or resign or face being fired. Rothman said Wednesday he considered retiring but decided against it because regents didn’t give him a reason.
Acting President Amy Bogost said in a statement before her firing that the decision was “about the future” of the 13-college system, including the flagship Madison campus, which educates about 165,000 students.
“Universities of Wisconsin must be governed by a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagships, supports our comprehensive universities, and ensures we meet the evolving needs of our students, workforce, and communities in all 72 counties,” Bogost said.
He did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday.
Rothman did not criticize any trustees by name but expressed disappointment with the board in general.
“For a board to be functional, it must be able to provide clarity to the management team,” he said. “It’s not 18 different voices with different views and pet projects. It has to be board leadership that can reinforce that, build consensus and provide clear direction.”
Rothman said performance targets were not discussed at his last review in August, which he said was “surprising.”
Rothman spent his time as president lobbying Republican lawmakers to increase state aid to the system in the face of federal cutbacks, dealing with free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests and grappling with declining enrollment that led to the closure of eight branch campuses. Under his leadership, overall enrollment in the system remained stable.
Rothman brokered an agreement In 2023, Republicans called for a freeze on diverse hiring and the creation of a position focused on conservative thought at UW-Madison in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for raises for UW employees and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects systemwide.
Rothman said Wednesday that he didn’t know if any of those specific issues contributed to his firing, but acknowledged it could have happened.
“When you step in to affect change and try to move an organization forward, you have to make tough decisions,” Rothman said. “And when you make tough decisions, you might upset some people.”
Sen. Patrick Testin, the Republican leader of the Wisconsin State Senate, called Rothman’s firing “a blatant partisan axe.”
The state Senate committee that oversees higher education has scheduled a hearing Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments have not yet been confirmed by Evers. Testin called for the Senate to reject all 10, meaning they could no longer serve as surrogates.
Rothman said he would not speculate about why he was released.
“I’m disappointed in the board’s action, but I’m not angry,” he said. “This is not about revenge. I’m concerned about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin.”
