by P.D. Lesko

SO,  MICHIGAN AD Dave Brandon is out. He allegedly blamed the political composition of the U-M Board of Regents (Republicans, the lot of them) for his woes. Dave Brandon ended up with a multi-million dollar payout over the next four years, the use of two leased automobiles, health insurance and two tickets to football, basketball and hockey games.

Dr. S., who scrambled thoughtfully around in the pocket before throwing a disappointing pick-six, missed an opportunity to put his money where his mouth is. He keeps saying (including at the press conference at which Brandon’s resignation was announced) that athletics are not a part of the university’s mission statement. According to Dr. S., athletics are a part of the university’s culture. Murray Sperber would approve.

Dr. Sperber, retired from Indiana U. in 2004, has for decades argued that student-athletes are students first and athletes second. Most recently Dr. Sperber published Beer & Circus: How Big-Time College Sports is Crippling Undergraduate Education. Sperber is also a former chair of the Drake Group, a national faculty committee advocating reform of college sports.

Dr. Schlissel’s separation agreement with Dave Brandon is an #epicfail. U-M’s president had a chance to show Michigan students and Academe that athletics are not a part of U-M’s mission statement. It’s hard to take him seriously considering the money being given to Brandon to feed the ego of the college’s outgoing AD.  Here’s how the president of the University of Michigan threw a pass right to the AD who then ambled into the endzone. The excerpt, below, is from the separation agreement negotiated by Dr. Mark Schlissel:

1. In consideration of tile Employee signing this Agreement, the University agrees to maintain his current employment status as a full-time, regular employee, with all applicable wages and benefits effective through the end of the day on October 31, 2014. Employee shall resign from University employment effective November 1, 2014.

2. It is agreed that the University shall compensate Employee at an annual rate in equal monthly installments:

(a) November 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015 — $700,000

(b) July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016 – $950,000

(c) July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 — $750,000

(d) July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 — $600,000

4. The University shall pay the cost of COBRA for health care benefits for Employee and his dependent(s) until June 30, 2015. In the event that the Employee obtains other employment that offers health care benefits prior to June 30, 2015, payments under this paragraph shall cease.

5. The Employee shall retain two Regents Emeritus seats for Michigan football, hockey, and men’s basketball in accordance with University policy.

6. The Employee shall retain current use of two automobiles provided pursuant to the dealer automobile program until December 31 , 2014.