MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The president of the University of Wisconsin system said in letters obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday that he has been told to either resign or be fired, but has been given no reason and won’t step aside.
Jay Rothman, president of the multicampus 165,000-student university system since 2022, said in a letter addressed to the head of the Board of Regents dated March 26 that he has been given no reason why regents want him to leave.
Rothman stated in his letter that he has been told his options are to resign or retire, otherwise the board “was prepared to terminate my employment despite all that has been accomplished.”
The Board of Regents held a closed emergency meeting on Wednesday night to discuss personnel matters.
“The Board is responsible for the leadership of the Universities of Wisconsin and is having discussions about its future,” Amy Bogost, board president, said in a statement to AP. “We don’t comment on personnel matters.”
Rothman declined to comment when reached via email on Thursday, stating, “I believe my letter speaks for itself.”
In the letter addressed to Bogost, Rothman expressed that he had not been “provided any substantive reason or reasons for the Board’s finding of no confidence in my leadership.”
“Because of that, I am not prepared, as a matter of principle, to submit my resignation,” Rothman emphasized.
In a subsequent letter sent to two other regents on Wednesday, Rothman reiterated his refusal to resign after they urged him to step down during a Tuesday meeting, indicating they were prepared to meet over the weekend to fire him if he did not comply.
Rothman stated that these regents could not provide a justification for the push for his resignation or dismissal.
During his tenure, Rothman has worked to secure increased state funding amid federal budget cuts, navigated debates over free speech on campus in light of pro-Palestinian protests, and managed enrollment declines leading to eight branch campus closures.
He raised the potential for resigning in 2023 when the Board rejected a deal with the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, a move that was later reversed by the board.
Rothman mentioned that “among so many other things,” the university will need to find a new chancellor for the flagship Madison campus this year, as Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin is leaving for a position as president of Columbia University.
“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 remarked, emphasizing his dedication to the institution.
He expressed surprise at being told “an unidentified majority of the Board of Regents had lost confidence” in his leadership and claimed that when he sought clarity on the reasons, the regents merely acknowledged each had their perspective but failed to provide tangible explanations for their assertions.
With a salary of $600,943, Rothman — former chair and CEO of the Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner law firm, chosen as UW president in 2022 without prior experience in higher education administration — faces critical discussions regarding his future at the University of Wisconsin system, which includes 13 universities and multiple branch campuses.
