Attorney, chancellor named as UW System president finalists

The chairman of a prominent international law firm based in Milwaukee and the chancellor the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus have been named as finalists to be president at the UW System.

The finalists announced Friday are business attorney Jay Rothman, chairman and CEO of the Foley & Lardner law firm and James Schmidt, UW-Eau Claire chancellor.

Rothman and Schmidt will be interviewed Tuesday by a subcommittee of regents and other groups, including chancellors, UW System executive leaders and others.

The regent subcommittee will forward a recommendation to the full UW Board of Regents, which is expected to name the next president by the end of the month.

Interim UW System President Tommy Thompson announced last week that he will leave the position on March 18. He came on board in July 2020 after a failed search to find a replacement for Ray Cross.

The UW System oversees 26 campuses, including UW-Superior.