The Daily Illini: Salary Guide 2014

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

3

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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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