Big Payouts--Not to Victims

A few weeks ago I wrote about the costs of Title IX violations focusing on the money schools are spending to defend themselves against lawsuits. I mentioned, in that post, that the costs Baylor has incurred are unknown; only that they continue to litigate several cases involving multiple plaintiffs and that they have settled one case.

But Baylor has not just been negotiating settlements with plaintiffs. This week we found out what Baylor paid a lot of money to get rid of former football coach Art Briles and former president, Kenneth Starr. In June 2016, the school reached agreements with both men. Briles received $15.1 million and Starr's severance was $4.5 million.

Baylor's settlement with one victim in the fall of 2017 was confidential. My educated guess is that it was not even close to what these men received.

I want to also note the difference in the amount of the settlements. Coaches get bought out of contracts all the time--a practice which I find infuriating but almost unbearable when the coach is being released because of bad behavior. Briles is just the latest of this group. (Technically not the latest. Rick Pitino is being paid very well for his role in the college basketball bribery scandal. The information about Briles's severance is the newest, however.)

Look at the payouts and figure out who had power and influence on that campus and think about how Baylor continues to deny there was a culture of sexual hostility on campus. Football players were not the only perpetrators, but they were definitely protected by the system. The system, if we are going based on payouts, that Briles ruled over--even more so than the university's president.

Another former president may also be rewarded for her complicity in the sexual abuse of gymnasts scandal. Lou Anna Simon, who stepped down as the president of Michigan State University could get over $1million easily if she comes back as a faculty member in addition to a slew of other perks and benefits. There was some outrage over the conditions stipulated in her contract but I have nor heard any more about whether she will be returning and under what conditions.