Exclusive: Universities of Wisconsin leaders looking to oust system president who refuses to quit

[riversedge]

Exclusive: Universities of Wisconsin leaders looking to oust system president who refuses to quit
By SCOTT BAUER Updated 5:37 PM CDT, April 2, 2026

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The president of the University of Wisconsin system said in letters obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday that he has been told to either resign or be fired, but has been given no reason and won’t step aside.

Jay Rothman, president of the multicampus 165,000-student university system since 2022, said in a letter addressed to the head of the Board of Regents dated March 26 that he has been given no reason why regents want him to leave.

Rothman said he has been told that his options are to resign or retire, and that if he doesn’t then the board “was prepared to terminate my employment despite all that has been accomplished.”

The Board of Regents held a closed emergency meeting on Wednesday night to discuss personnel matters.

....................

In the letter addressed to Bogost, Rothman said he had not been “provided any substantive reason or reasons for the Board’s finding of no confidence in my leadership.”..................................

Link to tweet

?s=20