MADISON, Wis. — The fired University of Wisconsin president ,Jay Rothman ,said he was “blindsided” by the the decision of the Board of Regents to fire him. He hasn’t been told why, Rothman told the Associated Press. “I asked for reasons why. They were not able to articulate any.” He said his last performance review, in August, was favorable. Rothman was barred from the 30-minute Tuesday night meeting at which the 18-member board voted unanimously to remove him. In the AP interview Rothman did not criticize any regent by name but expressed frustration generally with the board:
“For a board to be functional, it needs to be able to provide clarity to the management team — not 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.”
Rothman, a lawyer, said he has no plans to appeal his removal or to sue: “I am disappointed with the board’s action, but I’m not angry.” He did express concern about concern about the UW system’s future.