The head of Wisconsin’s massive university system is refusing to step down after being given an ultimatum to resign or face termination, according to correspondence obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday.
Jay Rothman, who has led the 25-campus Universities of Wisconsin system serving 165,000 students since 2022, revealed in a March 26 letter to the Board of Regents that he was presented with the stark choice but provided no explanation for the board’s demands.
In his correspondence to board chair Amy Bogost, Rothman stated he was informed his choices were to resign or retire, and if he refused, the board “was prepared to terminate my employment despite all that has been accomplished.”
The revelation follows a closed-door emergency session held by the Board of Regents on Wednesday evening to address personnel issues.
Board President Amy Bogost offered limited comment when contacted by the AP, stating: “The Board is responsible for the leadership of the Universities of Wisconsin and is having discussions about its future. We don’t comment on personnel matters.”
When approached for additional remarks via email Thursday, Rothman kept his response brief.
“I believe my letter speaks for itself,” he said.
Rothman’s leadership period has been characterized by his push for increased state funding while facing federal budget reductions, managing campus free speech controversies during pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and addressing dropping student numbers that resulted in eight satellite campus shutdowns.
In his letter to Bogost, Rothman wrote: “Since to date you have not provided any substantive reason or reasons for the Board’s finding of no confidence in my leadership, I am not prepared, as a matter of principle, to submit my resignation.”
The university president also highlighted upcoming leadership transitions in his correspondence, pointing out that the system must find a replacement for the Madison flagship campus chancellor this year. Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin is departing to assume the presidency at 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 stated.
In his letter, Rothman expressed that he has committed his “heart and soul to the mission of the Universities of Wisconsin” and described his shock upon learning that “an unidentified majority of the Board of Regents had lost confidence” in his leadership abilities.
“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,” Rothman wrote to Bogost. “You did not provide any tangible reasons for the Board’s determination.”
Before taking the university system helm in 2022, Rothman served as chair and CEO of Milwaukee-based law firm Foley & Lardner, bringing no previous background in higher education administration to the role.
