CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has reached agreement with former Illinois football coach Tim Beckman.
Beckman will receive a one-time payment of $250,000. The negotiated agreement is final and does not require Board approval because the amount does not reach the threshold for trustees’ action.
The settlement will be paid with funds from the university’s self-insurance plan. A joint statement by the parties follows. DIA considers the matter closed, and no further comment will be provided.
Statement regarding agreement with former Coach Tim Beckman
“The University of Illinois and former Coach Tim Beckman announced today that they have reached a negotiated resolution of potential legal claims relating to Coach Beckman’s termination in August 2015. In resolving these matters, the university and Coach Beckman seek to avoid protracted and costly litigation that would by necessity require the involvement of a number of current and former student-athletes, as well as coaches, staff, trainers, and team physicians. This resolution allows the university to avoid the distraction of pending litigation and to focus instead on the well-being of student-athletes in the program. At the same time, Coach Beckman can resume his career without protracted litigation. The resolution involves a one-time payment of $250,000 to Beckman, who will release all claims he may have had against the university.
The university stands by its decision to terminate Coach Beckman for cause, but recognizes that terminating him without cause was another possible alternative. In deciding to terminate Coach Beckman, the university relied on preliminary findings that were eventually included in the Report issued by Franczek Radelet, an independent investigating law firm, concerning the management of sports injuries and scholarships in the football program. Throughout the investigation, Coach Beckman cooperated with all requests for information and answered all questions. During the investigation and in the wake of the Report, the university made a number of programmatic changes focused on safeguards for student-athletes in football and other sports.
In addition, as stated on page 25 of the Report, “[m]any players interviewed reported positive experiences with injury assessment, treatment, recovery periods, and return-to-play decisions. In addition, Coach Beckman attempted to help players stay healthy and avoid injuries by repeatedly discussing health topics. When players were seriously injured, Coach Beckman made efforts to assist them by visiting players in the hospital after surgery and taking time to console players about the challenge of being unable to play.” Further, the Report found no evidence that any student-athlete suffered the loss of a scholarship for poor performance
Beckman will receive a one-time payment of $250,000. The negotiated agreement is final and does not require Board approval because the amount does not reach the threshold for trustees’ action.
The settlement will be paid with funds from the university’s self-insurance plan. A joint statement by the parties follows. DIA considers the matter closed, and no further comment will be provided.
Statement regarding agreement with former Coach Tim Beckman
“The University of Illinois and former Coach Tim Beckman announced today that they have reached a negotiated resolution of potential legal claims relating to Coach Beckman’s termination in August 2015. In resolving these matters, the university and Coach Beckman seek to avoid protracted and costly litigation that would by necessity require the involvement of a number of current and former student-athletes, as well as coaches, staff, trainers, and team physicians. This resolution allows the university to avoid the distraction of pending litigation and to focus instead on the well-being of student-athletes in the program. At the same time, Coach Beckman can resume his career without protracted litigation. The resolution involves a one-time payment of $250,000 to Beckman, who will release all claims he may have had against the university.
The university stands by its decision to terminate Coach Beckman for cause, but recognizes that terminating him without cause was another possible alternative. In deciding to terminate Coach Beckman, the university relied on preliminary findings that were eventually included in the Report issued by Franczek Radelet, an independent investigating law firm, concerning the management of sports injuries and scholarships in the football program. Throughout the investigation, Coach Beckman cooperated with all requests for information and answered all questions. During the investigation and in the wake of the Report, the university made a number of programmatic changes focused on safeguards for student-athletes in football and other sports.
In addition, as stated on page 25 of the Report, “[m]any players interviewed reported positive experiences with injury assessment, treatment, recovery periods, and return-to-play decisions. In addition, Coach Beckman attempted to help players stay healthy and avoid injuries by repeatedly discussing health topics. When players were seriously injured, Coach Beckman made efforts to assist them by visiting players in the hospital after surgery and taking time to console players about the challenge of being unable to play.” Further, the Report found no evidence that any student-athlete suffered the loss of a scholarship for poor performance
