Courtesy: Purdue Athletics
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Athletics announced today that football head coach Jeff Brohm, L. Dick Buell men’s basketball head coach Matt Painter, women’s basketball head coach Sharon Versyp and director of intercollegiate athletics Mike Bobinski have each voluntarily taken a 20% reduction in salary, and agreed to forego any incentive compensation over the 12-month period beginning Sept. 1, 2020. As part of their salary reduction, these four, along with other coaches and senior administrators, have announced their collective intent to pledge $1 million to the More Than A Game campaign on Purdue Day of Giving on Wednesday, Sept. 9. These pledges will be fulfilled during the same 12-month period as indicated above.
“As we face unprecedented medical and financial uncertainty, we’ve been focused on strategies to limit the impact on the support we provide our student-athletes, and that best protect the long term interests of coaches and staff,” said Mike Bobinski, vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics. “Our current reality required that some uncomfortable and difficult decisions be made and I’m grateful for the understanding and resilience shown by our entire team of coaches and staff.”
Other contract head and assistant coaches have each voluntarily agreed to 15% salary reductions and all other Purdue Athletics staff will be impacted by either reductions in force, furloughs, reduced work schedules or salary reductions ranging from 5% up to 50% based upon a combination of pay range and the projected individual workload impact during the 2020-21 academic year.
“These salary adjustments, along with other personnel measures we’ve taken, such as limited reductions in force and an extended hold on certain unfilled positions, will result in savings of nearly $5 million dollars over the next 12 months,” Bobinski continued.
The More Than A Game campaign was launched earlier this month, in partnership with the John Purdue Club, to help the athletics department navigate the financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic and position Boilermaker athletics for future success.
Purdue Athletics is one of only a handful of Division I athletics departments that is entirely self-sustaining: it does not receive any taxpayer dollars, general fund support from Purdue University, or student fees. John Purdue Club memberships are directed to funding the $12 million scholarship cost for student-athletes and this separate fund will help offset a 2020-21 Purdue Athletics budget shortfall that could approach or exceed $50 million.
Boilermakers and friends can make a contribution to the More Than A Game campaign by contacting their Boilermaker Athletics Representative or by visiting JPCMoreThanAGame.com. The More Than A Game campaign will also be a giving option during Purdue Day of Giving on Sept. 9, 2020. Save the date to help Purdue Athletics meet the challenge by rising to the top of the donation, participation and hourly challenge leaderboards.
Class act
❤️