Universities of Wisconsin president refuses to leave after being told to resign or be fired
WPR • • nation
Key Points:
- Jay Rothman, president of the 25-campus Universities of Wisconsin system since 2022, has been told to resign or face termination without being given any specific reasons, but he refuses to step down.
- Rothman highlighted in a letter that the Board of Regents, which held a closed emergency meeting, has not provided tangible reasons for their loss of confidence in his leadership.
- His tenure has involved efforts to increase state funding, navigating campus free speech debates, and managing declining enrollment that led to the closure of eight branch campuses.
- State Rep. Amanda Nedweski accused Democratic-appointed regents of trying to remove Rothman to install someone aligned with a progressive agenda, citing conflicts over diversity and inclusion initiatives.
- Rothman emphasized his commitment to the university system and questioned the timing of his resignation given upcoming leadership changes, including the departure of the Madison campus chancellor.
