The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents voted to fire system president Jay O. Rothman in a brief meeting that was largely held in closed session, according to statements released after the vote. Regents said they had lost confidence in Rothman’s leadership even as they cited steps he took to address “longstanding structural deficits” and support universities’ financial footing. Board President Amy B. Bogost said the decision reflected “the future” and that Rothman had been through a performance review process shared with him, while refusing to make the review results public. Rothman had previously declined to resign after being asked by the board chair, and letters he wrote—made public last week—complained that regents would not explain why he was being removed. The political context remains a key part of the fallout: current regents were appointed or reappointed by Gov. Tony Evers, and Evers told reporters that Rothman’s future was up to the board. Lawmakers aligned with Republicans condemned the move as it unfolded, highlighting how presidential turnover is colliding with budget pressures across the state university system.