One-on-one with Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman | WSAW

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Jay Rothman, the president of the Universities of Wisconsin, was thrust into the spotlight this year, from pro-Palestinian protests breaking out on his campuses across the state to his controversial ask for an increase of $855 million in funding.

Rothman, who began his tenure in 2022, represents 13 universities across the state. He sat down with our State Capitol Bureau Chief Vanessa Kjeldsen to reflect on this past year and share his hopes for the next one.

Below is a transcript of the conversation that has been shortened and edited for clarity and length:

Vanessa Kjeldsen: Looking back on the year of 2024, what are some of the most notable moments for UW?

Jay Rothman: I think one of the most [notable] moments for me was the fact that this is a second year that we’ve had an increase in our enrollment two years in a row. We’re educating now over 164,000 students, and that, to me, is exciting.

VK: We know that the system moving forward is asking for an $855 million increase in new funds. [Republican Assembly Speaker] Robin Vos has said that that’s probably a non-starter. What’s your response to that?

JR: Currently, we’re funded at 43rd out of 50 in terms of public support for our university, and all we’re asking is that budget request gets us up to the average up to the national median.

VK: What happens if you don’t get that funding?

JR: We’re going to have to deal with what we have to deal with at that point. I mean, it certainly impacts our students and the level of education that we can deliver. It impacts affordability, which means it’s harder for students to come to our schools.

VK: Without that funding, would we in fact see tuition increases?

JR: I think what I’ve said is that if we get the $855 million over the course of the biennium, we would hold tuition for two years and we would also keep the remaining branch campuses that haven’t been slated to be closed open. You know, beyond that, I’m not going to speculate what we will have to do.

VK: About those branch campuses, UW-Platteville Richland, UW-Milwaukee at Washington County, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Fond du Lac and UW-Green Bay Marinette closed this year. Then, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha and UW-Oshkosh at Fox Cities will close in 2025. Why are there so many closures at these branch campuses?

JR: Well, I think you’ve seen a shift in, it’s really declining enrollment. I think there’s less emphasis on that two-year degree and more students coming to the main campuses and starting with a four-year degree. And I think that’s been a big change.

VK: What would you say to those students left in some of those rural areas without those branch campuses?

JR: What I would say is that we have the opportunity for them to attend on an online basis and to be able to do it that way. You know, quite frankly, I wish we had more money to invest in those branch campuses because I think the situation could be different.

VK: Would UW-Madison ever separate from the other campuses in the system?

JR: No… I mean, I think Chancellor Mnookin and I have been very clear that we think we are better together.

VK: Looking back on the year, perhaps one of the most notable moments that did make national news headlines were the Israeli-Palestinian protest that happened across UW campuses. Looking back at the way that that was handled, is there anything you wish could have gone down differently?

JR: You know, the way I look at it is that we will support the right to protest to the ends of the Earth for our students. That’s part of their First Amendment right. That is part of the college experience, but they have to do so lawfully.

VK: Moving forward, looking to 2025, what are the main goals for the UW-System?

JR: I think the main goal is to seek the funding that we have requested to get Wisconsin out of being 43rd out of 50 and closer to the national median. I’ve grown up in this state. I’ve lived in this state my entire life. Being 43 out of 50 is not the Wisconsin I know. My hope is that the Universities of Wisconsin become a bipartisan issue because of [our] great work and the fact that we are needed to ensure the long-term economic viability of our state.

This interview took place on Dec. 10, 2024.

Source: One-on-one with Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman