In Hartford, Jeff Jacobs notes UConn AD David Benedict this week "signed a restructured contract" with the school, which is "more commensurate with his position." His base salary is "being increased from $450,000 to $550,000," while potential bonus compensation was "knocked down from $100,000 to $50,000 a year." If Benedict "remains continuously employed through the end of his contract" in '21, he will "receive total deferred compensation of $500,000, up from $250,000." The length of the deal "remains the same" (HARTFORD COURANT, 12/6).
SETTING UP CAMP: In Arizona, Cody Bashore notes the final cost of former Northern Arizona AD Lisa Campos' departure for the same position at UTSA "came in." Leaving with an "additional $64,887.08 in performance incentives on a contract set to expire June 30, 2019, Campos' final payout included bonuses of $50,000" for FY '17 and $14,887.08 for FY '18. Signed to a five-year contract paying her $375,000 annually at UTSA, Campos has "retention bonuses that will raise her pay to $395,000 in year three, $425,000 in year four and $475,000 in year five" (ARIZONA DAILY SUN, 12/6).
SAFE FOR NOW: UNC Charlotte Chancelor Phil Dubois said, "I don't think it’s time to make a change in the (athletics director)." In Charlotte, David Scott notes Dubois "praised the job" UNCC AD Judy Rose has done during her 27-year tenure, "despite recent struggles in the football and men’s basketball programs." Dubois said, "If we look at the big picture over 27 years, she has (overseen) a department that has a $29 million budget and hundreds of students going through excellent training and academic support. We have over $100 million in new facilities and not a hint of a (major) NCAA violation and a 93 percent graduation rate. Contrary to the narrative out there, our fundraising is very solid." He added, "We hear the concern about two sports that are struggling. We want them to get better and will take steps at the appropriate time to make them better" (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 12/6).
MOVING ON: In Tucson, Caitlin Schmidt reports former Arizona AD Greg Byrne and track and field coach Fred Harvey have been "dropped from a civil lawsuit filed by a former athlete who says she was abused by former assistant coach Craig Carter." Baillie Gibson is "suing the UA and Carter, saying that the school failed to protect her despite being aware of an inappropriate relationship between the two." While Byrne and Harvey were "initially named as defendants in Gibson’s suit, on Nov. 20, Pima County Superior Court Judge Sarah Simmons dismissed the complaints against them without prejudice" (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 12/6).
