Rutgers settles with disgraced ex-coach Mike Rice for $475,000
Mike Rice's mistreatment of Rutgers basketball players not only cost him his reputation and job it also cost him $625,000 in salary he was owed by the school.
The Star-Ledger reports Rutgers and Rice have reached a settlement on a separation agreement in which the school will pay Rice $475,000 of the $1.1 million that was remaining on his contract at the time he was fired earlier this month.
Rice was initially suspended and fine $50,000 by the school for three games in December in response to allegations of mistreatment, but videos from Rutgers practices surfaced last month showing Rice hitting, kicking and pushing players and also shouting homophobic slurs at them. The outrage over the videos led the school to fire him.
Rutgers President Robert Barchi told the State Assembly budget committee Thursday that Rice's contract contained language that allowed the school to fire him for cause for bringing shame to the school.
"My personal position is the university was damaged by his actions," the Star-Ledger quoted Barchi saying at the hearing. "Frankly, I’ll have that discussion in court if I have to. ... I’m going to be pretty hard to budge."
The Rice scandal also led to the resignations for former athletic director Tim Pernetti and John Wolf, the school's top lawyer. They initially approved the suspension and fine in December.
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