Two key legislators are decrying what they described as “secretive maneuvering” against Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothamn.
That comes after the Associated Press revealed that, according to letters, Rothman claims he was told to quit or be fired, but he wasn’t given a reason why.
“The University of Wisconsin (UW) System Board of Regents appears poised to meet in closed session to remove Jay Rothman as president of the system. Rothman has served as president of UW System since 2022. The timing, after the adjournment of the state Legislature and over the Easter holiday weekend, has raised concerns that the board is intentionally avoiding public scrutiny,” wrote state Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) and Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Fox Crossing).
“Based on the events reported in the news, the Board of Regents may have violated Wisconsin open meetings law in utilizing a “walking quorum” to reach a consensus on Rothman’s employment prior to any publicly noticed meeting. The board is required to have open meetings law training and this is not the first time the board has violated the law by utilizing a walking quorum,” they wrote. The Board of Regents is largely gubernatorially appointed, so Gov. Tony Evers has shaped the board.
In a separate press release, state Rep. Dave Murphy also voiced concerns about the Regents’ treatment of Rothman.
“I am troubled by reports that the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents are trying to remove President Jay Rothman without providing any clear reasons. This lack of transparency is unacceptable. President Rothman deserves to know exactly why the Board has lost confidence in his leadership,” he wrote. “I commend President Rothman for his work in helping the Universities of Wisconsin hold their own amid nationwide declining enrollment. He has made tough decisions to sustain our campuses and protect educational access for Wisconsin students.”
“It’s deeply disappointing that the University of Wisconsin System continues to make monumental changes without providing the public with meaningful transparency,” said Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Fox Crossing), vice chair of the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges. “Whatever the circumstances that led to the decision to try and force out the system president, the Board of Regents owes the people of Wisconsin a clear, complete, and timely explanation. Transparency is not optional—it is essential for maintaining public trust in our state’s university system.”
“If the Regents will not tell the public why they are making such a significant move, the public will be left to assume this is the latest example of backroom politics dictating how the Board of Regents is overseeing the UW System,” said Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield), chairman of the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges.
“Instead of secretive maneuvering, they should be focusing on reducing their bureaucracy, consolidating more of the struggling two-year campuses, instituting reforms that align with the needs of Wisconsin employers, and making higher education more affordable for all Wisconsin students,” he added.
“The UW System is the largest employer in Wisconsin. The public university system is organized as a state agency governed by an 18-member board of regents. The legislature has responsibility for oversight and funding of the university system, which is carried out by the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities and the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges. According to members of the Senate’s committee, no concerns have been raised about Rothman’s performance by the regents up to this point,” the press release noted.
