UW President Voted Out, What's Next?

UW Fires/Keeps Jay Rothman

The UW Board of Regents decided in a unanimous decision of 17-0 with 1 abstaining to vote to oust UW President Jay Rothman at 5:36PM today.

Amy Bogost gave the introduction and then called for the vote, saying:

"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... the motion carries.

The closed-door meeting, followed by a public vote, was set for 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The vote was recorded c. 5:36PM.

It was scheduled just days after the Associated Press reported that the president had been told to either resign or be fired.

Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, Rothman wrote in a letter to the regents that he would not resign as he was not provided with a reason for his termination.

In a letter to the Board, Rothman wrote:

“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.”

“It also appears that whatever conclusions were reached, the concerns were vetted without the benefit of any recent in-person or even virtual meeting of the entire Board.”

The Board consists of 18 members, 16 of whom are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, as well as ex officio regents Jill Underly, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Sara Rodgers, the representative of the Wisconsin Technical College System.

All but the ex officio regents were appointed during Gov. Tony Evers’s administration.

According to prior reporting, the regents did not need to provide a stated reason for the firing and Rothman does not have the right to appeal, though it remains possible that he could file a lawsuit if he believes the reasons for his firing were illegal.

In the event of a vacancy, the UW Board of Regents Policy Document 20-27 outlines the process, albeit in far less detail than its other appointment procedures, by which a new permanent system president is selected.

The document states:

“When a vacancy occurs or is imminent, the Regent President shall consult with the Regent Vice President and other members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents to determine the process the Board will use in selecting a new System President.”

The current Regent President Amy B. Bogost was appointed by Governor Evers in 2020.

The UW System President oversees the operation and management of the University of Wisconsin System. The system includes 13 campuses, with over 160,000 students and a multi-billion-dollar budget. Traditionally, the president works with the state legislature, the governor, university donors, and helps guide major hires such as university chancellors.

Before the UW Regents appointed Rothman in 2022, the UW System lacked a permanent president for two years. Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson stepped into the role as an interim president between 2020 and 2022 after Ray Cross, the former permanent president, retired.

With UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin leaving for Columbia and the termination of Jay Rothman's presidency, the future and direction of the UW System now faces an uncertain future.