A Senate GOP leader is calling for the Senate to reject every nomination to the UW Board of Regents if President Jay Rothman is removed “without just cause.”

The board has called a late afternoon meeting to consider firing Rothman, who has been president since 2022. The notice included no other details other than the board may reconvene in open session and vote if needed.

GOP lawmakers have been critical of the board’s move as Rothman has complained in letters to regents that he hasn’t been given a reason for the demand that he resign or be fired.

Senate President Pro Tempore Pat Testin, R-Stevens Point, posted on X late yesterday, “If the Board of Regents remove President Rothman without just cause, the Senate should reject every one of their nominations. Their actions should have consequences.”

The Senate hasn’t yet confirmed 11 of Dem Gov. Tony Evers’ nominations to the board. That includes President Amy Bogost. She said in a statement that Rothman “was not without notice, nor was this process sudden,” saying the board had engaged in “good-faith discussions” with the UW president in the wake of a performance review.

The statement did not cite specific issues with Rothman’s performance and credited his “many contributions, which we acknowledge and greatly appreciate.” 

“As an at-will employee of the Board of Regents, the System President serves at the pleasure of the Board, which bears the responsibility of determining whether its chosen leader continues to hold its confidence,” Bogost said. 

Gov. Tony Evers yesterday declined to weigh in on the possibility the regents will fire Rothman, saying, “it’s their call.”

“The obvious thing is that he works for the board and if the board is dissatisfied, then they have a right to do this,” Evers told reporters after signing PFAS legislation. “Now whether it’s fair and all that, that’s usually something that gets ironed out.”

Evers has appointed 16 of the 18 regents. The other two spots on the board are filled by state Superintendent Jill Underly and Technical College Board President Sara Rogers. Both serve on the regents as ex officio members due to their positions.

A former UW executive yesterday ripped Rothman as a “hypocrite” for complaining the regents haven’t provided any reason for threatening to fire him, saying the system president gave him the same ultimatum four years ago with no explanation.

In an email to Rothman and several regents obtained by WisPolitics, Jim Langdon wrote he understood that he served at the pleasure of the UW president while he was vice president of administration. But he added Rothman doesn’t seem to understand he serves at the pleasure of the regents, who have “lost confidence” in the president’s leadership.

Rather than “bellyache” about his pending termination, “the responsible thing to do is thank them for the opportunity to serve and leave,” Langdon wrote.

“Now you play a victim, but we both know you are a hypocrite,” Landgon wrote. “You fired me without having the guts to engage in a discussion and now whimper that you need from the Regents that minimal consideration you refused to give me. The fact is the Regents have lost confidence in your leadership.”

UW didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment after WisPolitics shared the content of Langdon’s email.