Embattled Kansas AD Lew Perkins Retires One Year Early

Embattled Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins, who announced this summer he would retire in September 2011, will now retire almost a year earlier and with the same benefits, the school announced Tuesday afternoon.

Perkins' retirement is effective immediately.

"There is no question that Kansas athletics has benefited from Lew Perkins' leadership," KU chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said in a released statement. "One need only look at the academic success of our student-athletes, at KU's trophy cases and at our state-of-the art athletic facilities to see those benefits. I appreciate his service and understand his decision."

But reading between the lines, it seems the school and Perkins may have grown weary of the scandalous events that have come out of the KU athletic department in recent months. The athletic department is already under a federal investigation for a $1 million ticket scandal involving six former athletic department employees.

Then recently, Perkins has been linked to controversy when it was learned that he accepted $15,000 in exercise equipment for himself from an athletic department vendor in exchange for better seating during KU men's basketball games at Allen Fieldhouse. The matter is under ethics review. Perkins has also come under scrutiny for excessive spending on work-related travel.

Perkins had already announced his plans to retire on Sept. 4, 2011, in wake of the ticket scandal this summer when the other questionable dealings came out. He would have been due a $600,000 retention bonus by remaining on the job past June 30 and he apparently will still receive that payment next year despite not being on the job, bringing his total exit payout to $2 million. The school agreed this summer to shorten his contract from June 30, 2015 to Sept. 4, 2011.

"I've enjoyed my seven years here at KU," Perkins said in a statement. "What I've cherished more than anything is the opportunity to work with our coaches, student-athletes, staff, alumni, Williams Fund members and K-Club members.

"I am grateful that Chancellor Hemenway allowed Gwen and me to come to Lawrence to be part of the great university. We love this community; we consider it home. This decision will give us a chance to stay involved in the community in different ways. It will also allow me to explore other professional opportunities."

Gray-Little announced that Sean Lester, the associate athletic director for external relations, will be the interim athletic director until the vacancy is filled.

"We must always be building on our success and we will now be fully focused on the future of Kansas Athletics and the University of Kansas," said Gray-Little.