MADISON, Wis. – University of Wisconsin system regents unanimously offered the presidency of the state’s public universities to the chief executive of a Milwaukee law firm. Jay Rothman, 62, accepted. Rothman had been recommended by a regents’ search committee that also considered Jim Schmidt, chancellor at UW-Eau Claire, as a finalist. Rothman’s new salary: $550,000. As president he replaces former Governor Tommy Thompson, who will step down in March after two years as interim president.
Closed sessions
The regents’ search committee interviewed the finalists, Rothman and Schmidt, in closed meetings. Edmund Manydeeds III, committee chair, said the committee opted to forgo a public session because of significant public input it received. Even so, why the fait accompli? Manydeeds did not mention the disastrous 2020 search for a president that resulted in faculty and student protests that forced the regents’ choice, the president of the University of Alaska, to withdraw. To settle the very public mess, regents asked former governor Tommy Thompson to step in as interim president.
Family tradition
Rothman is the son of two UW-Stevens Point alumni. One of his two children earned a degree at UW-Madison. Rothman himself went to Marquette before earning his law degree from Harvard. He joined the law firm of Foley & Lardner in 1986 and worked his way to the chair and chief executive. Aside from having gone to college, he has no experience in higher education.