Board of Regents announces leadership transition: Jay Rothman is out
Apr 7, 2026, 1:13 PM CT
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The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System has unanimously voted to make a change in leadership of the system, with current President Jay Rothman’s tenure ending immediately.
In a press release, the board announced they are “…grateful for President Rothman’s service and recognizes the meaningful work undertaken during his tenure. Under his leadership, the Universities of Wisconsin took important and often difficult steps to address longstanding structural deficits, putting individual universities on sounder financial footing for the future. He worked hard to bring the best to the campuses, students, faculty, and staff. Those efforts and that dedication are acknowledged and appreciated. However, despite these accomplishments, based on the annual performance review and subsequent discussions, the Board has lost confidence in President Rothman’s ability to lead the UWs moving forward.”
Universities of Wisconsin Vice President for University Relations Chris Patton will serve as Acting Executive-in-Charge Prior to Appointment of Interim President.
The Board has immediately moved forward in its work to identify the successor. Further details regarding that process will be shared in the coming weeks.
John is a seasoned media and marketing executive with experience programming and promoting iconic radio brands in some of the nation’s most competitive markets, including New York City, Boston, Memphis, Dallas, and San Francisco. He has taught graduate-level courses in branding and marketing at the country’s largest private art and design school and has held business development and marketing roles at multiple technology startups. Reach him at [email protected].
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