The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin system has voted to fire president Jay Rothman, according to a press release from Board of Regents Media Director Mark Pitsch.

Rothman is the first president to be fired in University history.

The decision was unanimous, with 17 members of the board voting to remove Mr. Rothman, according to the New York Times. Regent Joan Prince was not present for the vote, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.

Jay O. Rothman has served as President of the multi-campus UW system for the past four years – leading over 165,000 students, according to The Associated Press. Rothman previously served as the chairman and CEO of law firm Foley & Lardner LLP, according to his University profile.

Rothman has claimed he was told to either resign or be fired, but has not been given a reason, according to letters obtained by AP last week, according to AP.

UW Board of Regents President Amy B. Bogost has stated that Rothman has been notified about the process of his termination, according to a press release.

“President Rothman was not without notice, nor was this process sudden,” Bogost wrote in a statement. “The Board has engaged with President Rothman in good-faith discussions over the past several months.”

Rothman refused to resign in a second letter sent to two University Board of Regents members on Wednesday after he said they urged him to step down during a Tuesday meeting, according to AP. Rothman has said the Regents have not given a reason for wanting him to resign or be fired, according to AP.

The Board of Regents is “grateful” for Rothman’s time as president according to a press release.

“He worked hard to bring the best to the campuses, students, faculty, and staff. Those efforts and that dedication are acknowledged and appreciated,” Pitsch stated in a press release. “However, despite these accomplishments, based on the annual performance review and subsequent discussions, the Board has lost confidence in President Rothman’s ability to lead the UWs moving forward.”

The Board did not give specific reasons for the decision during the public section of the Tuesday meeting, according to the New York Times.

The Wisconsin open meetings compliance guide requires voting by the Board of Regents to be done in public and recorded live. However, decisions about personnel issues – like the discussion about Rothman – can be conducted privately between members, according to the guide.

Rothman’s annual salary is $600,943, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. He must be given six months’ notice before being terminated but can be reassigned to “other duties” and continue to be paid his full salary during the following six-month period, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.

Universities of Wisconsin Vice President for University Relations Chris Patton will serve as Acting Executive-in-Charge Prior to Appointment of Interim President, according to a press release by the Board of Regents.

The University of Wisconsin did not give a comment when The Badger Herald reached out.