THE DAILY ILLINI TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com
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WHY WE MAKE A SALARY GUIDE The University’s budget includes $3.4 billion spent on employees’ salaries. The Daily Illini believes in transparency. We believe that it’s important to know how much those who teach our classes, lead our University and manage our athletic teams are being paid. Because tuition-paying students and Illinois taxpayers contribute to the budget, we believe that it should be clear how the money is being spent. Salaries make up 67 percent of the University’s operating expenses. The Daily Illini Salary Guide online search database makes it easy to see where the University is spending this part of the budget and how much money employees in every department, college and campus are being paid. Our database includes salaries from the Academic Administrative Appointments book, or Gray Book, which is approved annually by the Board of Trustees. The database also includes salaries from the non-Gray Book, which includes employees who are civil service staff and academic professional staff and additional faculty who do not appear in the Gray Book. Employees will not be in the Gray Book if they are classified as civil service, alternate source of position funding or non-standard appointment calendars. Data included in the non-Gray Book excludes employees or jobs that are classified as extra help, graduate assistant, pre-doctoral fellow, academic or grad hourly, summer appointment, medical resident, student, retiree or unpaid. It also does not include jobs classified as cellphone stipend, deferred pay, lump sum, one time pay, sabbatical supplement, temporary assignments or vacation payouts. The salaries may be affected by events throughout the year, including mid-year promotions or unpaid leaves, and do not include all compensation, such as overtime and benefits. Factors such as experience, education and specialized training can all influence how much employees are paid. Anyone can find the information we’ve included in our Salary Guide. State employees’ salaries are public record that we obtained through the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The Gray Book can be found at http:// www.bot.uillinois.edu/gray-book. By publishing these salaries, we want the University to be held accountable for this part of the budget. We
DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO
hope this provides the University of Illinois community with an easier way to see the salaries of all University employees. This year, the print edition includes information on Chancellor Phyllis Wise’s benefits and items that could be purchased with $3.4 billion. You can also learn how much it would cost to fire Tim Beckman and his staff. The guide lists the top-paid employees at the University of Illinois and takes a look at professors who have second jobs.
You can find even more information online. In our full online database of employees’ pay from all three campuses, you can see much more than just their salaries. Want to see how your favorite professor’s salary compares with the rest of their department and college’s median pay? Want to know how much more money an employee is making than the rest of the campus? You can find out by visiting our database. To access the full list, visit SalaryGuide.DailyIllini. com.
Staff list EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Johnathan Hettinger
NEWS APPS DEVELOPER Jeeth Suresh
SPORTS EDITOR Sean Hammond
DESIGN EDITOR Torey Butner
COPY CHIEF Audrey Majors
MANAGING EDITORS Hannah Prokop Lauren Rohr
WEB EDITOR Steffie Drucker
DAYTIME EDITOR Miranda Holloway
ASSISTANT COPY CHIEF Alyssa Voltolina
NEWS EDITOR Corinne Ruff
PHOTO EDITOR Folake Obsibodu
DESIGNERS Sadie Teper, Eunie Kim, Hannah Hwang, Bryan Lorenz, Austin Baird
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Anna Hecht
COPY EDITORS Susan Szuch, Kirsten Keller
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Tuesday, October 28, 2014
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Phyllis M. Wise Vice President, Chancellor ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Professor, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, LAS Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, ACES Professor, Department of Medical Molecular and Integrative Physiology, College of Medicine Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine
2014-2015 Total Salary: $549,068.53
BREAKDOWN » 12-month faculty appointment: $257,715.35 » Administrative increment: $291,353.18 » Professor: $0
2013-2014 Total Salary: $530,501
BREAKDOWN » 12-month faculty appointment: $249,000.34 » Administrative increment: $281,500.66 » Professor: $0
2012-2013 Total Salary: $512,500
PHOTO COURTESY OF L. BRIAN STAUFFER
According to Chancellor Wise’s letter of employment, dated Aug. 31, 2011, she also receives the following benefits: •
A $30,000 annual housing allowance for use and maintenance of Wise’s personal residence for official University functions and events
•
Funds for a membership to the Champaign County Club and a club of her choice in Chicago
•
A retention incentive of $100,000 per year for five years. (A total sum of $500,000 will be paid within 30 days following Wise’s completion of 5 years of service)
•
Wise’s partner was placed in an appropriate appointment at a salary level, approximating his current position, as part of the University’s Spousal/Partner Hire Program
•
When Wise was hired, the University paid for her moving expenses
BREAKDOWN » 12-month faculty appointment: $240,533.34 » Administrative increment: $271,966.66 » Professor: $0
2011-2012 Total Salary: $500,000
BREAKDOWN » 12-month faculty appointment: $234,666.67 » Administrative increment: $265,333.33 » Professor: $0
If Wise returns to faculty, she receives: •
A one-year (nine-month) sabbatical, two months summer salary
The highest faculty salary of: • The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology • The Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology • The Department of Animal Sciences Her salary would be set to: • The greatest level of her faculty salary at the time of her return
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com
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Prof. balances teaching with freelance singing
Top paid employees across all campuses $ 1,800,000
TIM D. BECKMAN HEAD COACH, FOOTBALL
$485,482.11
ASRAR B. MALIK DEPARTMENT HEAD OF PHARMACOLOGY
$ 1,600,000
JOHN GROCE HEAD COACH, MEN’S BASKETBALL
$482,000
JEFFREY MARK ROONEY VISITING CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
$ 750,146
DIMITRI AZAR DEAN OF COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
$480,000.08
MALEK G. MASSAD PROFESSOR OF SURGERY
$ 650,000
PIER CRISTOFORO GIULIANOTTI CHIEF, DIVISION OF GENERAL SURGERY
$460,000.08
MIMIS COHEN CHIEF OF DIVISION OF PLASTIC, RECONSTRUCTIVE AND COSMETIC SURGERY
$ 615,007.18
DAVID ERIC SCHWARTZ CO-ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR CLINICAL AFFAIRS
$478,558.13
ROBERT EASTER PRESIDENT
$604,282
ENRICO BENEDETTI PROFESSOR AND HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
$469,480
ROBERT A. WINN INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE CANCER CENTER
$ 568,178
MIKE THOMAS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
$460,416
$ 558,372.41
PATRICIA W. FINN PROF AND CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE
ILESANMI ADESIDA VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND PROVOST
$456,000
$543,931
MARY D. STEPHENSON PROF OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
JOSE OBERHOLZER CHIEF OF TRANSPLANTATION SURGERY
$549,068.53
$452,519.17
PHYLLIS WISE CHANCELLOR, URBANA-CHAMPAIGN CAMPUS
ANAND KUMAR DEPARTMENT HEAD OF PSYCHIATRY
$437,244
$500,000
MARTIN BORHANI CHIEF, DIVISION OF VASCULAR SURGERY
PAULA ALLEN-MEARES CHANCELLOR, CHICAGO CAMPUS
$423,266.47
CHRISTOPHE PIERRE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
$500,000
BILL CUBIT FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE COORDORDINATOR
$420,000
CHARLES E. RAY JR. PROFESSOR OF RADIOLOGY
$492,516.31
J. REGAN THOMAS DEPARTMENT HEAD OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY
BY FARAZ MIRZA STAFF WRITER
Nathan Gunn, professor of voice and general director of lyric theatre at the University, is a freelance singer and director of the American Repertoire Council at Opera Philadelphia. Gunn said in an email that he has sang with almost every major opera house and orchestra in the world and recorded with multiple companies, including EMILY, Sony, Naxos and Telarc. He also won a Grammy Award for his recording of Billy Budd. His career as a performer started 20 years ago. He began teaching at the University seven years ago. Gunn said he doesn’t consider his other work a “second job.” His performances are an integral part of who he is as an artist, a performer and a teacher. “My other work takes me all over the world,” Gunn said. “I go wherever there are great venues for opera, orchestral works and recitals.” With respect to the hours he puts into his work at both jobs, Gunn said, he teaches from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and then he often gets caught up in other endeavors. However, when out performing, he spends six to eight hours a day in rehearsal; the rest of the day is spent working as a professor via phone, text,
PHOTO COURTESY OF SCHOOL OF MUSIC
email and Skype. “It seems as if my work is never really done,” Gunn said According to The Daily Illini’s Salary Guide, Gunn makes $139,465 at the University. Gunn said he loves his work in both areas because they complement each other in a very dynamic way. “My performing brings important information about the music world and the changes that are happening in it to our students,” Gunn said. “My contact with great artists exposes my students to great performances as well as opportunities to learn from those artists.”
Faraz can be reached at famirza2@dailyillini.com.
Assistant architecture professor helps students through his experience in his own firm BY WALBERT CASTILLO STAFF WRITER
Kennedy Hutson, a parttime assistant professor of architecture in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, also works as an owner at his privately owned company, Kennedy Hutson Associates, located in Monticello,
Illinois. In his practice at Kennedy Hutson Associates, he said, his main duty is to supply commercialized and institutionalized projects based on architectural design. He said that his office employs three people and maintains a traditional
architectural design layout. Hutson said he likes working at his office because he fi nds it gratifying to design projects for his clients. “I’ve had my office for 19 years now, and before that, I worked in several other offices for about 16 years,” Hutson said.
Hutson is not teaching this semester, but he typically teaches architecture three afternoons a week, he said. He added that he spends about 20 to 25 hours a week at the University and 20 to 25 hours at the office. According to The Daily Illini’s Salary Guide, Hut-
son made $18,411.21 as an assistant professor on 30 percent appointment in 2013. “As a professor, I love interacting with the students because I get to bring in something that they wouldn’t receive otherwise,” Hutson said. “I
believe I can help and show them the benefits and practices of the real world.” Hutson plans to teach this upcoming spring semester at the University.
Walbert can be reached at wcasti2@ dailyillini.com.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2014
5
Across the Big Ten Average compensation
Class sizes fewer than 20 students
The following graphs compare the average compensation of various Big Ten employees.
20-49 50 or more
ILLINOIS
OHIO STATE
MICHIGAN Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$191,200 $131,500 $114,900 $86,200 $143,400
Student to faculty ratio
15:1
18% 47% 35%
MICHIGAN STATE
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$181,300 $125,900 $119.30 $85,600 $146,400
Student to faculty ratio
18:1
20% 42% 38%
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$174,000 $125,900 $101,400 $66,400 $130,000
Student to faculty ratio
17:1
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$164,800 $114,900 $105,000 --$125,800
Student to faculty ratio
18:1
17% 36% 47%
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$178,200 $126,400 $114,100 $73,300 $134,600
Student to faculty ratio
17:1
25%
22%
53%
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$173,800 $116,500 $99,400 $59,600 $127,800
Student to faculty ratio
16:1
12%
33%
55%
19% 39% 42%
$174,600 $126,000 $111,800 $87,300 $135,100
Student to faculty ratio
18:1
$230,100 $151,300 $135,700 --$189,200
Student to faculty ratio
7:1
17% 39% 44%
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$149,200 $107,200 $101,400 --$116,900
Student to faculty ratio
21:1
19:1
30%
48%
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$176,200 $124,900 $109,400 $75,100 $120,400
Student to faculty ratio
17:1
13% 42% 44%
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$163,900 $120,300 $106,500 $71,400 $132,000
Student to faculty ratio
13:1
18% 38% 44%
RUTGERS 7% 18% 75%
NEBRASKA
MARYLAND Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
Student to faculty ratio
23%
PURDUE
NORTHWESTERN
IOWA
$172,100 $119,700 $108,500 $134,900 $139,500
PENN STATE
MINNESOTA
INDIANA
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$201,500 $146,500 $124,100 $93,700 $151,700
Student to faculty ratio
13:1
21% 35% 44%
WISCONSIN 15% 41% 44%
Full professor Associate professor Assistant professor Instructor Average
$154,800 $120,900 $107,700 $75,000 $133,100
Student to faculty ratio
17:1
19% 35% 46%
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
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The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com
WHAT ELSE COULD According to the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fiscal Year 2013 annual report, the University of Illinois spends $3.4 billion on compensation and benefits. The number makes up about 67 percent of the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual operating expenses. For a little bit of fun, The Daily Illini calculated how much $3.4 billion could buy if spent on other things.
Google has a net worth of around $382.47 billion. The search engine has millions of users every day. With the money used on salaries, the Unviersity could buy .009 of the company.
A Nimitz class aricraft carrier produced by the U.S. Navy costs a whopping $8.5 billion. The vessel is almost 1,100 feet long and has two nuclear reactors. The salary budget for the campuses could buy .4 of one ship.
A Boeing 747 jet cost $367 to the companies website. at the University could buy all have transported 5.6 bil fleet.
The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com
7
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
$3.4 BILLION BUY?
7.8 million, according The money for salaries y 9.2 planes, which in llion people among the
The White House has an estimated price tag of $319,803,889.The University coud buy 10.6 presidential homes.
The iconic ladder fire trucks driven by fire departments around the country can cost up to $1.3 million. The University could use the money that is spent on salaries across the three campuses to buy up to 2,600 of these trucks.
The average American home cost around $272,900 in 2010, according to the US Census. The University could buy 12,458.78 homes.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com
8
WHO GETS A CAR?
For this year’s Salary Guide, The Daily Illini requested a list of all University employees whose “compensation includes take-home privileges of a motor vehicle.” The list included all of the employees below, in addition to vans used by a video crew for the Big Ten Network and a van used by the Urbana campus’ sports medicine staff.
URBANA DIVISION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS SPENCER ALLEN
Assistant Varsity Coach, Baseball
TIM BANKS
Assistant Varsity Coach, Football
TIM BECKMAN
Head Varsity Coach. Football
KIM BECKMAN Wife of Tim Beckman
MIKE BELLAMY
Assistant Varsity Coach, Football
MATT BOLLANT
Head Varsity Coach, Women’s Basketball
KARI BOLLANT
BRAD DANCER
Varsity Head Coach, Men’s Basketball
RICK DARNELL
ALLISON GROCE
Senior Associate Athletic Director
MICHELLE DASSO
Varsity Head Coach, Women’s Tennis
DONNA DIBIASE
Associate Head Varsity Coach, Softball
MIKE DIVILBISS
Assistant Varsity Coach, Women’s Basketball
JOHN DONAHOE Superintendent of Grounds
HAVEN FIELDS
Wife of Matthew Bollant
Associate Director of Development
TOM BRATTAN
DUSTIN FORD
Assistant Varsity Coach, Football
KENT BROWN
JOHN GROCE
Varsity Head Coach, Men’s Tennis
Assistant Varsity Coach, Men’s Basketball
RON GARNER
Wife of John Groce
HILARY HAEN
Varsity Assistant Coach, Volleyball
KEVIN HAMBLY
Varsity Volleyball Head Coach
DAN HARTLEB
Varsity Head Coach, Baseball
JIM HEFFERNAN
Varsity Head Coach, Wrestling
JASON HEGGEMEYER
KIM LANDRUS
Varsity Head Coach, Women’s Gymnastics
JASON LENER
Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director
LAKALE MALONE
Assistant Varsity Coach, Women’s Basketball
HOWARD MILTON
Associate Director of Athletics for Development
BILL NESNIDAL
Assistant Director of Development, Chicago Operations
SUE NOVITSKY
Head Varsity Coach, Swim and Dive
PARIS PARHAM
JANET RAYFIELD Head Varsity Coach, Soccer
TIMOTHY SALEM
Special Teams Coordinator, Football
AL SEAMONSON
Outside Linebackers Coach, Football
RENEE SLONE
Head Varsity Coach, Women’s Golf
MIKE SMALL
Head Varsity Coach, Men’s Golf
ERIC SNIDER
CHRIS PEACOCK
RYAN SQUIRE
MARK A PERRY
Associate Athletics Director for Compliance
TERRI SULLIVAN
Associate Athletic Director/Media Relations
Head Varsity Coach, Women’s Track and Field/Cross-Country
Senior Associate Athletic Director
Associate Varsity Head Coach, Wrestling
Head Varsity Coach, Softball
GREG COLBY
ZACH GOINES
TIANNA KIRKLAND
NATE POKRASS
MIKE THOMAS
Defensive Line Varsity Coach, Football
BILL CUBIT
Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach
Associate Director of Athletics for Development
ALEX GOLESH
Assistant Varsity Coach, Football
Varsity Assistant Coach, Women’s Basketball Director
PAUL KOWALCZYK
Senior Associate Athletic Director
Assistant Director of Athletics
MIKE WADDELL
Natural Areas Coordinator
JAMALL WALKER
Associate Director for Governmental Relations
MIKE WARD
Executive Director for University Relations
ADRIAN WHEATLEY
Senior Associate Vice President for Administration Information Technology Services
Senior Associate Athletic Director, External Relations
Assistant Varsity Coach, Men’s Basketball
Assistant Varsity Coach, Football
LENNY WILLIS
AARON HILLMANN
WARREN HOOD
UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
CARRIE UMMEL
JUSTIN SPRING
Head Varsity Coach, Men’s Gymnastics
Director of Athletics
HOWARD MOORE
Head Varsity Coach, Men’s Basketball
Assistant Athletics Director for Development
Assistant Varsity Coach, Men’s Track and Field/Cross-Country
Assistant Varsity Coach, Men’s Basketball
Assistant Athletics Director for Development
MIKE TURK
Head Varsity Coach, Men’s Track and Field/Cross-Country
Associate Head Varsity Coach, Baseball
Associate Athletic Director for Ticketing and Sales
Head Strength and Coordinating Varsity Football Coach
CHICAGO DIA
Director of Facilities
MARIA WOODS
Senior Associate Athletics Director/ Senior Woman Administrator
SUSAN YOUNG
Senior Associate Athletics Director
STEVEN BUCK
DESHANA FORNEY THOMAS HARDY MICHAEL HITES
SUSAN KIES
Secretary of the Board of Trustees
WALTER KNORR
Vice President Chief Financial Officer
KAPPY LAING
Executive Director for Government
MICHAEL LYON
Assistant Vice President for Portfolio and Process Management
PAULA ALLEN-MEARS Assistant Vice President for Portfolio and Process Management
CHRISTOPHE PIERRE
Vice President for Academic Affairs
KEIKO PRICE
Associate Athletics Director, Academic Services
JENIFER THOMAS Wife of Mike Thomas
LAWERENCE B. SCHOOK Vice President for Research
Visit dailyillini.com for all your campus news needs.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2014
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TOP EARNERS AT L THE UNIVERSITY Football, men’s basketball salaries rank No. 1, 2
T I M BEC K M A N , H E A D F O OTB A LL C O A C H
ike all major college athletics programs, Illinois treats its head coaches handsomely. It has to if it wants to keep up with other Big Ten competition and competition across the country. The contracts of Illinois’ head football and men’s basketball coaches really aren’t all that different. Tim Beckman and John Groce, both hired during the 2011-12 school year, currently have nearly identical salaries and benefits. Beckman was hired with a starting salary of $1.6 million, increasing by $100,000 every year until the contract ends following the 2016 football season. Groce was making $1.4 million when he first took the Illinois job. He was originally signed through the 2017-18 basketball season. Over the summer, Groce received an extension through the 2018-19 season and received a raise that brought his total salary to $1.7 million.
JO H N G R O C E, HEAD MEN ’ S BASKE TBALL COACH
SIGNED THROUGH
SIGNED THROUGH
2016 football season
2018-19 basketball season
TOTAL SALARY $1.8 million
TOTAL SALARY $1.7 million
BASE SALARY
BASE SALARY
$400,000
$400,000
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION
$1.4 million
$1.3 million
BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI
BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI
Additional compensation includes compensation for TV, radio and Internet appearances; apparel sponsorships; consulting; promoting the program and making public appearances.
Additional compensation includes compensation for TV, radio and Internet appearances; apparel sponsorships; consulting; promoting the program and making public appearances.
INTERESTING FACTS • • • • • • •
Beckman receives a bonus of $150,000 if he retains the job beyond Jan. 31, 2015 and an additional $350,000 if he retains it beyond Jan. 31, 2017. Beckman and his wife are each provided a car. The University pays for his membership at the Champaign Country Club. Beckman also received up to $25,000 to move his household to ChampaignUrbana when he was hired. Beckman must report all outside compensation to the athletic director and the chancellor at the end of each year. Illinois coaches for all sports are eligible for insurance, retirement and sick leave. Also all are reimbursed for travel expenses, which would include travel for recruiting purposes.
INTERESTING FACTS • • • • • • •
BOWL INCENTIVES • • • •
Non-BCS bowl game: $32,000 Big Ten championship appearance plus non-BCS Bowl game: $48,000 BCS bowl game: $64,000 Big Ten championship appearance plus BCS Bowl game: $80,000
Groce receives a bonus of $500,000 if he retains his job beyond the 2016-17 basketball season. Groce and his wife are each provided a car. The University pays for his membership at the Champaign Country Club. Groce also received up to $25,000 to move his household to ChampaignUrbana when he was hired. Groce must report all outside compensation to the athletic director and the chancellor at the end of each year. Illinois coaches for all sports are eligible for insurance, retirement and sick leave. Also all are reimbursed for travel expenses, which would include travel for recruiting purposes.
PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES • • • • • • • •
Big Ten regular season title: $125,000 Big Ten tournament title: $50,000 NCAA Tournament appearance: $25,000 Sweet 16 appearance: $50,000 Elite 8 appearance: $75,000 Final Four appearance: $100,000 NCAA championship: $250,000 National Coach of the Year award: $50,000
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com
10
FUTURE OF FOOTBALL STAFF IN QUESTION WITH 4-4 RECORD
Buyout cheap compared to Zook’s BY SEAN HAMMOND SPORTS EDITOR
Even with Saturday’s win, the future of Illinois’ football coaching staff is in doubt. Whether Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas is on the same page likely won’t be known until the final game of the season has been played. But financially, Illinois appears to be in a better position to fire its staff than it was three years ago when it fired then-head coach Ron Zook. All things considered, firing Beckman and his entire staff would be relatively cheap. Of Beckman and his nine assistants, only three of the 10 coaches contracts extend past this season. Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit and tight ends coach Alex Golesh each have one more year remaining on their contracts. Beckman has two more years. Cubit and Golesh would be owed $500,000 and $220,000, respectively. Beckman would be owed $1.05 million. The contracts of assistants Tim Banks, Mike Bellamy, Tom Brattan, Greg Colby, Tim Salem, Al Seamonson and Mike Ward all end on Jan. 31, 2015, following this season. Illinois could fire Beckman and simplyww see their contracts
through to the end. Three years ago, when Illinois fired Zook, Zook still had two years remaining on his contract and was owed a total of $2.6 million. Firing Backman and his entire staff would be cheaper than firing Zook was. Zook benefitted from a hefty raise following the Rose Bowl appearance after the 2007 season. Beckman has had no such success, and thus, no such raise or extension. What also compounded the problem with Zook’s firing was that Thomas also fired Bruce Weber and Jolette Law, the men’s and women’s basketball coaches, in the same year. Combined, Illinois was paying more than $7 million for coaches who were no longer working for the University. But disregarding comparisons to Zook, Beckman is a relatively cheap
fire, even compared to other coaches currently on the hot seat around the country. Michigan’s Brady Hoke, should he lose his job, would be owed $2 million. Florida’s Will Muschamp, should he get the axe, would be owed $8 million — $2 million for each of the four seasons left on his contract. Kansas’ Charlie Weis is owed a buyout of $5.7 million. Indiana’s Kevin Wilson, signed through 2017, would be owed $1.7 million if he were fired. One would imagine if Beckman goes, so goes his staff, or most of it anyway. Keeping Cubit is a possiblity and he is popular with the players. But it’s hard to imagine Illinois keeping anyone around if Beckman loses his job.
But financially, Illinois appears to be in a better position to fire its staff than it was ... when it fired then-head football coach Ron Zook.
Sean can be reached at sphammo2@dailyillini.com and on Twitter @sean_hammond.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Firing football staff would cost $1.77 M Firing the football staff would be relatively cheap. Only three coaches’ contracts extend beyond this season. Those three would require buyouts — the rest of the staff could simply be let go without any extra cost. TIM BECKMAN head coach signed through 2016 season
$1.05 million
ALEX GOLESH tight ends coach/ recruiting coordinator signed through 2015 season.
BILL CUBIT offensive coordinator signed through 2015 season
$500,000
TIM BANKS defensive coordinator signed through 2014 season
$220,000
MIKE BELLAMY wide receivers coach signed through 2014 season
AL SEAMONSON outside linebackers coach signed through 2014 season
TIM SALEM special teams coordinator/ running backs coach signed through 2014 season
TOM BRATTAN offensive line coach signed through 2014 season
MIKE WARD inside linebackers coach signed through 2014 season
GREG COLBY defensive line coach signed through 2014 season
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
12
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