MADISON, Wis. (AP) 鈥� Fired President Jay Rothman told The Associated Press on Wednesday in his first interview since the ouster that he was 鈥渂lindsided鈥� but has no hard feelings and is unlikely to sue.
Rothman was fired on Tuesday night in a unanimous vote by the board of regents following a roughly 30-minute closed-door discussion. Regents for firing Rothman, who was in the job for just under four years.
鈥淎bsolutely I was blindsided,鈥� Rothman told the AP. He said he has still not been given a reason for his firing.
鈥淚 really don鈥檛 know,鈥� Rothman said. 鈥淚 asked for reasons why. They were not able to articulate any.鈥�
But Rothman, who came to the job in 2022 after serving as chair and CEO of a Milwaukee-based law firm with more than 1,000 attorneys, said he is unlikely to file a lawsuit over his firing.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have to see how circumstances develop,鈥� Rothman said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 likely that I would go in that direction. That鈥檚 not who I am.鈥�
The AP was the on April 2 that the regents had asked Rothman, 66, to retire or resign or face being fired. Rothman said on Wednesday that he considered retiring, but since regents gave him no reason, he decided against it.
Regent President Amy Bogost said in a statement before the firing that the decision was 鈥渁bout the future鈥� of the 13-university system, including the flagship Madison campus, that educates about 165,000 students.
鈥淭he Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce and communities across all 72 counties,鈥� Bogost said.
She did not immediately return a message on Wednesday seeking comment.
Rothman did not criticize any regent by name, but he did express frustration generally with the board.
鈥淔or a board to be functional, it needs to be able to provide clarity to the management team,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot 18 different voices with different opinions and pet projects. There has to be board leadership that is able to consolidate that, build a consensus and provide clear direction.鈥�
Rothman said his performance objectives were not even discussed in his last review in August, which he said was 鈥渁stonishing.鈥�
Rothman spent his time as president lobbying Republican legislators to increase state aid for the system in the face of federal cuts, navigating free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests, and grappling with declining enrollment that has forced eight branch campuses to close. Overall enrollment across the system has remained steady under his leadership.
Rothman brokered with Republicans in 2023 that called for freezing diversity hires and creating a position at UW-Madison focused on conservative thought in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for UW employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system.
Rothman said Wednesday he didn’t know if any of those particular issues contributed to his being fired, but conceded they could have.
鈥淲hen you come in to effect change and you try to move an organization forward, you have to make difficult decisions,鈥� Rothman said. 鈥淎nd when you make difficult decisions, you can upset some people.”
Sen. Patrick Testin, the Republican president of the Wisconsin state Senate, called Rothman鈥檚 firing a 鈥渂latant partisan hatchet job.鈥�
The state Senate鈥檚 committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Evers have yet to be confirmed. Testin called for the Senate to reject all 10, which would mean they could no longer serve as regents.
Rothman said he wasn鈥檛 going to speculate on why he was cut loose.
鈥淚 am disappointed with the board鈥檚 action, but I鈥檓 not angry,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is not about retribution. I鈥檓 concerned about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin.鈥�
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