How much money did Wichita State settle on with former AD after firing without cause?
In an admission of termination without cause, Wichita State University has agreed to pay former athletic director Darron Boatright a total settlement of $300,000.
The separation agreement, which was obtained Friday by The Eagle through the Kansas Open Records Act, was signed by Boatright on May 22 and two days later by university president Rick Muma.
“Over this past week, the parties have worked to agree to the terms of (Boatright’s) separation from the university,” a joint release read at the end of the agreement. “The separation remains amicable. We believe that this resolution will allow both parties to move forward and focus on our respective priorities.”
The question of what exactly led to Muma’s decision to fire Boatright on May 4 has gone unanswered, as the president has declined to expand on a vague statement on May 4 stating he had “ongoing concerns that became acute in recent weeks” about Boatright that he “did not believe could be addressed.”
The separation agreement at least brings resolution on whether WSU fired Boatright with or without cause. Under Section 9 of the separation agreement, it states both parties acknowledge Boatright’s termination was in accordance with Section 6.1 of his contract with WSU, which is headlined as “Termination by WSU Without Cause” in the contract.
The section in his contract stipulates that Boatright would be owed the full remaining amount of his base salary if WSU exercised its right to terminate him without cause. When Boatright was fired on May 4, he had a little more than two full years remaining on his contract at a base salary of $275,000, meaning the $300,000 separation agreement was negotiated down to roughly half of the money owed to him.
The payments totaling $300,000 will be distributed to Boatright in equal installments of approximately $11,538 every two weeks beginning on the first pay day after June 10, 2022 and ending on the first pay day after June 10, 2023. Boatright was also paid his unused vacation leave time.
Any hopes of additional comments from either side regarding the sudden ending of Boatright’s tenure, which lasted six years, was likely extinguished by the typical array of non-disclosure agreements, confidentiality obligations and mutual non-disparagement clauses agreed upon in the separation agreement. Both sides also agreed to release the other from any grievances either side may have had with the other before the agreement was signed.
Sarah Adams, who was hired last summer as a senior associate athletic director and senior women’s administrator, has been serving as athletic director in an interim role since Boatright’s dismissal on May 4.
Wichita State University has retained the services of Parker Executive Search, one of the nation’s top head-hunting firms for high-profile coaching and administrative hires. It is expected the firm will help WSU hire a replacement by mid-June.
According to the contract, which was obtained by The Eagle through the Kansas Open Records Act, WSU will pay Parker Executive Search at least $70,000 — $35,000 within 10 days of signing the contract and another $35,000 following the hire, plus reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenses the firm estimates to be no more than around $8,400 — to find Boatright’s replacement in what will likely be WSU’s first outside hire for athletic director since 1999.
The contract also states that if the hired candidate suggested by Parker Executive Search is terminated within a calendar year, the group would, if requested, conduct a replacement search at no additional fee outside of out-of-pocket expenses.
This story was originally published May 28, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
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