The University of Minnesota Board of Regents voted Thursday to approve a three-year contract extension for Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle. The financial terms of the extension are largely the same — Coyle could earn over $1 million each year, with incentives — and the contract is expected to receive final regents approval Friday.
Coyle, the Gophers AD since May 2016, has received positive endorsements from the outgoing President Eric Kaler, coaches and others during his time. Some regents argued in favor of postponing the vote on the new contract, however, at least until the board's December meeting.
Regents said they had gotten a heads-up that a new contract might land on their Finance & Operations Committee meeting agenda earlier this week, but they had not seen it until shortly before Thursday's meeting and did not have enough time to review the contract carefully.
Some regents also suggested the next university president might want to have some say on a high-profile member of the U's leadership team. Regent Darrin Rosha noted Kaler made an athletic director change seven months into his tenure.
"A decision like this really ties the hands of the incoming president," Regent Michael Hsu said, adding he takes Coyle at his word when he has said he is loyal to the university.
But other regents and Kaler argued for swift action to lock in Coyle. "It's an opportunity to send a strong message to a valuable member of our community," Kaler said.
He and others said the move will ward off efforts by other institutions to recruit Coyle and ensure continuity as a new president takes over next summer. Kaler is stepping down in July, and the university is searching for his replacement.
"When you have someone who is the best in his industry and his vocation, you need to keep them," Regent Dean Johnson said.