In exchange for her resignation and a promise to not file a lawsuit against the University, Jody Runge received a settlement “in the ballpark” of $500,000, the former women’s basketball coach confirmed Tuesday.
Breaking a six-week span of silence about the investigation into the women’s basketball program, Runge was contacted at her home Tuesday evening and said that the 30-page report from Bond, Schoeneck & King did not result in her departure.
“The report had nothing to do with [the resignation],” Runge said. “After 60 days, it became apparent to me that this was a mess that I couldn’t clean up.”
Athletic Director Bill Moos and University Vice President Dan Williams announced Runge’s decision Monday at a press conference. Runge was not present.
Sticking to claims that the settlement is not coming from public funds, Moos would not confirm the half-million dollar agreement.
“We’re trying to keep that to ourselves for now,” Moos said Tuesday.
At a press conference Monday, Williams said he does not feel that the University has to reveal the specifics of the settlement.
“Less than 10 percent of the Athletic Department revenue is public money,” Williams said, “so the payments will come out of the 90 percent that comes from gift and gate receipts and other sources of income besides the state.”
Runge’s attorney, Rohn Roberts, would not confirm the amount of the settlement, but would not deny it, either.
“I wouldn’t refute that number,” Roberts said Tuesday, in reference to the $500,000 figure. “But the reports of a $700,000 settlement, I would refute.”
Asked if she was disappointed by how the Athletic Department has handled the events of the last two months, Runge said, “Absolutely.”
Eight players met with Moos on March 4 and criticized Runge’s coaching methods, communication skills and reportedly asked that she be fired.
“I have never been talked to about what was said at that meeting,” Runge said.
Moos hired Bond, Schoeneck & King on March 27. After 30 days of investigation — which included more than 80 interviews of players, former players, coaches and administrators — the firm handed in its report April 27.
Roberts said reports suggesting that the 30-page report from Bond, Schoeneck & King, a law firm nationally recognized for handling troubled athletic programs, had anything to do with her resignation “is flat out not true.”
“The process of these last eight weeks and the events that transpired led to her conclusion,” Roberts said. “The fact that [the Athletic Department] needed to do this report and not do it internally was a part of her decision, not the results of the report.”
Runge was scheduled to meet with Moos on Friday to discuss the report, but the meeting was canceled after Runge began planning her “exit strategy,” Moos said.
Runge and Roberts would not discuss details of the report.
The University is still processing the report and it was unclear at Monday’s briefing if and when it would be made public. Many requests have been made and University spokeswoman Pauline Austin said the document could be available sometime next week.
“The report will be available, but not in full,” Austin said. “Every bit of information that can be made public will be made public.”
Runge said she has no idea what she will do now.
Roberts said the 38-year-old Kentucky native is “in very good spirits.”
“She’s just trying to catch her breath right now,” Roberts said. “She’s taking some time and trying to decide what she’s going to do now. She’s not hiding at home with a bag over her head.
“She’s relieved it’s over.”