One of the three new members of the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents will no longer have to wait awkwardly for a standoff between a former regent and the governor to end.
After initially refusing to give up his seat when his term expired, Regent Bob Atwell reversed course this week and resigned from the board, effective immediately.
“I am glad to see the Governor made his appointments and I am particularly glad to see that Tim Nixon is one of them,” Atwell said in an email Monday to Regent President Karen Walsh, UW system President Jay Rothman and others.
Atwell copied Nixon, a Milwaukee commercial attorney, on the email exchange and said Nixon has a “reputation for clear thought and ethical conduct.”
Gov. Tony Evers appointed Nixon and two other new members to the Board of Regents on Friday. Former American Family Insurance CEO Jack Salzwedel will replace another GOP-appointed member whose term is expiring, while UW-Oshkosh student Desmond Adongo will fill the position on the board typically held by a non-traditional student.
All three of the new regents are expected to attend the board’s meeting later this week at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Walsh said she previously told Atwell that “what he planned was not in the board’s best interest,” and “he ultimately agreed.”
“He’s passionate about the Universities of Wisconsin, and served the board well,” Walsh told the Cap Times Tuesday. “Now he feels he can continue on the legislative council and make a difference. I look forward to working with him in that role.”
Atwell is the founding CEO of Nicolet National Bank in Green Bay and was one of two remaining members appointed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker. He told UW system leaders in a May 20 email that he planned to continue serving after his term expired on May 1, until the Senate confirmed his successor or he elected to resign. At the time, Evers had not yet announced his replacement.
Atwell said his decision was based on advice he received from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, which was confirmed by Rothman.
The issue of whether a gubernatorial appointee can continue after their term expires has been contentious in recent years.
In 2022, the state Supreme Court ruled a state office appointee can remain in office until a replacement is approved by the Senate. At the time, the court held a conservative majority and the ruling kept a Walker appointee on the state Natural Resources Board.
More recently, the case has been used as precedent by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul and others to argue that Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe can continue in her role.
In his resignation email Monday, Atwell wrote, “I thought my reasons for staying on at least through the Milwaukee meeting were clearly expressed, but I certainly left room for people to assume I was planning to reenact the scenario playing out on the DNR board.”
“The 5 or 6 hate mail contacts I received were particularly unimpressive,” he said. “I was clear that my primary focus is the forthcoming legislative council and more generally the UW’s relationship with the legislature.”
Atwell added, “There is not a high cost to foaming at the mouth about me, but vilifying the elected body that must approve your budget is kind of dumb. The UW system is in dire need of reform and a reset in our relationship with all the people of Wisconsin. It is not Tony Evers' university any more than it was Scott Walker's.”
Atwell did not immediately return emails from the Cap Times requesting comment on Friday and Tuesday. WisPolitics first reported about his resignation.
Speaking with reporters at the Capitol last week, Evers said "of course I'm worried" about Atwell staying on after his term expired.
"We have the Board of Regents and one of their main things is to make sure that the University of Wisconsin system continues to be one of the best in the country," Evers said. "But when we have these games being played with Board of Regent members, that's a problem."
Evers noted his recent appointments come at a crucial juncture for the UW system, with many of the system’s two-year universities closing in recent months. The universities also have faced off with the Legislature over their use of diversity, equity and inclusion programming, even as lawmakers and system officials reached a deal to end a budget standoff related to DEI in December.
It is unlikely, however, that the state Senate will take up the Regents nominations anytime soon. The Legislature adjourned in mid-May and is unlikely to return before 2025.
The state Senate has recently rejected an array of Evers’ appointments to various state boards, including two nominees to the Board of Regents. The vote in March came after the two regents had opposed a deal to curb DEI positions in exchange for various UW budget priorities, a plan that was ultimately approved amid significant controversy.
Andrew Bahl joined the Cap Times in September 2023, covering Wisconsin politics and government. He is a University of Wisconsin-Madison alum and has covered state government in Pennsylvania and Kansas.
Becky Jacobs joined the Cap Times on April 1 and covers higher education. She was previously a business and paper industry reporter for The Post-Crescent in Appleton, a women's issues reporter for The Salt Lake Tribune and covered various beats at newspapers in Indiana and North Dakota.
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