UW Regents Unanimously Fire President Jay Rothman

The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents unanimously voted to fire system President Jay Rothman on Tuesday during a virtual meeting, ending his nearly four-year tenure and prompting a search for a new leader amid concerns over his leadership approach.

Rothman, who took the role in 2022 after serving as chairman and CEO of the Milwaukee-based law firm Foley & Lardner, received an ultimatum from the regents to resign or face termination. He declined, citing a lack of clear reasons for the action, and described the decision as sudden in an interview with the Associated Press. The firing took effect immediately, with Rothman entitled to six months of severance pay. In a statement, he expressed no hard feelings and indicated he was unlikely to pursue legal action.

At a state Senate committee hearing on Thursday, two regents provided additional context for the decision, which they described as deliberate and based on an annual performance review. Regent President Amy Bogost and Regent Timothy Nixon testified that Rothman had been given feedback over several months on areas needing improvement, including a perceived lack of urgency in addressing key issues. They cited his slow...