When Ball State University closes the book on the Ronny Thompson era, Thompson will likely owe the university a large chunk of money, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Collins said Friday.
"Ronny resigned [Thursday] and the terms of the contract will be honored" Collins said. "We owe him [money] for his vacation time, and then he's got a provision in his contract where I believe he owes the university some money back."
In his only season, Thompson led the Cardinals to a 9-22 record. Thompson's coaching staff also committed the same NCAA secondary violation two times in a one-year period.
According to Thompson's contract, he could legally terminate his employment after April 1, 2007 by giving 30 days notice and sending the athletics department his future employment plans in writing. It is uncertain whether Thompson followed through on that. The Daily News has turned in Freedom of Information Request forms to the Office of University Compliance in attempts to attain Thompson's resignation letter.
According to his contract, Thompson will owe the university the "amount equal to his annual base salary for the contract year in which such termination occurs." Thompson's base salary was $175,000 in his first year, which ran from April 4, 2006 to March 31, 2007. Thompson would have made $181,000 in his second season at Ball State.
The university and Thompson have not yet discussed the financial situation, but Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communication Tony Proudfoot said those discussions will begin soon.
"The provision is there; there will be no buyout," Proudfoot said. "The university will sit down in the near future to discuss the financial situation."
There is another provision in Thompson's contract that could potentially complicate matters. Section 17 of the contract is a Force Majeure clause, stating he may leave the university if any cause of "hostilities" beyond Thompson's control is brought against him or his program.
Anonymous notes containing racial slurs were found in the men's basketball offices June 24 and could classify as a hostility. However, attorney Jerry Drook, from Marion, said he doesn't believe that situation would qualify.
"Force Majeure is saying you're not bound to the contract due to things beyond your control," Drook said. "It comes from a force greater than what we anticipated. For a human act to be Force Majeure, it would have to be something like a racial riot, like what they had in L.A. with the Rodney King situation. But this would not be it."
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