Former Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman said Wednesday he will not contest his abrupt firing by the Board of Regents, expressing disappointment but stopping short of anger.
In an interview taped for the state’s public affairs program UP FRONT, Rothman addressed his termination less than 24 hours after it was announced.
“You know, I’m disappointed by the action that the Regents took, but I’m not angry,” he said. “My concern really is for the future of the Universities of Wisconsin. These institutions are absolutely critical to our state: 165,000 students, 37,000 graduates every year, over a million graduates in the last generation.”
Excerpts of the interview were shared on X today.
Rothman highlighted the universities’ role in supplying Wisconsin with nurses, engineers, data scientists, teachers, social workers, and other professionals essential to the state’s economic and social vitality.
When asked whether he planned to challenge the firing, Rothman said, “No, I do not. The Board has the right to terminate me with or without cause. They’ve chosen to do that.” He said he repeatedly requested an explanation for the decision but was not given one.
“They may not owe that reason to me, but I suspect they owe it to the state of Wisconsin, to the universities, [to the] taxpayers, and quite frankly all residents of the state,” he said.
The Regents initially offered Rothman the option to resign and remain in his post through the end of 2026. Rothman said he declined. “I could not get myself there to basically live a lie until December 31,” he said. “The job is hard. You have to bring your full passion, your full enthusiasm to it. I couldn’t do that under those circumstances.”
Rothman said he had no clear understanding of why the Board acted. He described a recent evaluation process as “unique,” noting that a 360-degree review included multiple comments, most positive, without attribution or actionable recommendations. He said a portion of the Regents’ closed-session meeting reviewing him was “perhaps chaotic.”
He also disputed claims that he had prior warning about the termination. “Because I meet with the Regent leadership, or didn’t meet with the Regent leadership,on a biweekly basis, there has never been any discussion around whether or not my job was at risk,” he said.
Rothman said he first learned the Board had lost confidence in him from Regent Vice President Weatherly on March 20.
The Board of Regents has not publicly detailed the reasons for Rothman’s dismissal. In a brief statement posted to X, the Regents noted they had engaged in “good-faith discussions” with the president over several months but declined to elaborate further.
Rothman’s tenure at the Universities of Wisconsin spanned more than three years, a period during which he oversaw initiatives aimed at expanding student opportunities and strengthening research programs statewide.
Previously on Dairyland Sentinel
