A SETTLEMENT OF OVER FOUR MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN APPROVED IN A LAWSUIT CLAIMING DISCRIMINATION IN THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOOTBALL PROGRAM.
THE STATE APPEAL BOARD VOTED 2-1 TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT OF FOUR-MILLION-175 THOUSAND DOLLARS WITH THE IOWA ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PAYING OUT $2.175 MILLION OF THAT WITH THE STATE PAYING THE REST OF IT.
EARLIER MONDAY, STATE AUDITOR ROB SAND SAID HE WOULD VOTE AGAINST TAXPAYER FUNDS BEING USED TO PAY HALF OF THE 2020 LAWSUIT BROUGHT AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT BY 12 BLACK FORMER IOWA FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO SUED THE UNIVERSITY ALLEGING RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND MISTREATMENT:
SANDBARTA1 OC……ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. ;09
SAND IS ONE OF THREE STATE OFFICIALS WHO SERVE ON A BOARD THAT REVIEWS AND APPROVES LEGAL SETTLEMENTS THAT INVOLVE STATE AGENCIES AND STATE OFFICIALS.
HE SAID HE WOULD SUPPORT THE SETTLEMENT IF BARTA IS REMOVED AS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR BECAUSE IT IS THE FOURTH DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT IN LESS THAN NINE YEARS:
SANDBARTA2 OC…BARTA’S GONE. :10
STATE TREASURER ROBY SMITH AND DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR KRAIG PAULSEN VOTED TO APPROVE THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT.
SAND SAYS THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE UNIVERSITY WANTED PART PAID FROM THE TAXPAYERS GENERAL FUND, EVEN THOUGH THEY NOW COLLECT TENS OF MILLIONS ANNUALLY THRU THE BIG TEN TV DEAL.
SANDBARTA3 OC………KIND OF THING. :20
BARTA ISSUED A WRITTEN STATEMENT SAYING THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY STUDENT-ATHLETE AND STAFF MEMBER INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM.
HE DID NOT RESPOND TO SAND’S CALL FOR HIS FIRING AND HAS BEEN THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AT IOWA SINCE 2006.
BARTA, HEAD COACH KIRK FERENTZ, BRIAN FERENTZ THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND FORMER STRENGTH COACH CHRIS DOYLE WERE ALL ORIGINALLY NAMED IN THE LAWSUIT.
THEY WERE DISMISSED FROM THE SUIT LAST WEEK.
Updated 3:12 p.m. 3/6/23
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STATE AUDITOR ROB SAND SAYS HE WILL VOTE AGAINST TAXPAYER FUNDS BEING USED TO PAY HALF OF A DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.
IF APPROVED BY THE STATE APPEAL BOARD, THAT SAND IS PART OF, THE SETTLEMENT WOULD COST IOWA TAXPAYERS $2 MILLION DOLLARS.
SANDBARTA1 OC……ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. ;09
SAND SAYS HE WOULD SUPPORT THE SETTLEMENT IF BARTA IS REMOVED AS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.
THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY TWELVE BLACK UNIVERSITY OF IOWA FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, THE FOURTH DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT IN LESS THAN NINE YEARS:
SANDBARTA2 OC…BARTA’S GONE. :10
SAND SAYS THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE UNIVERSITY WANTS PART PAID FROM THE TAXPAYERS GENERAL FUND, EVEN THOUGH THEY NOW COLLECT TENS OF MILLIONS ANNUALLY THRU THE BIG TEN TV DEAL.
SAND IS ONE OF THREE STATE OFFICIALS WHO SERVE ON A BOARD THAT REVIEWS AND APPROVES LEGAL SETTLEMENTS THAT INVOLVE STATE AGENCIES AND STATE OFFICIALS.
THE BOARD MEETS THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON.
BARTA ISSUED A WRITTEN STATEMENT ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT, SAYING THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY STUDENT-ATHLETE AND STAFF MEMBER INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM.
HE DID NOT RESPOND TO SAND’S CALL FOR HIS OUSTER.
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