A day after members of the Arizona Board of Regents approved a tuition hike on students, they approved a $780,000 contract with an extension for University of Arizona Athletic Director Dave Heeke.
Background/History of Previous Board Action
• David Heeke currently serves as UArizona’s Vice President and Director of Athletics. His current contract is set to expire on March 31, 2023. UArizona requested an extension of his contract by two additional years, as well as to make certain other changes as discussed below:
• For the proposed Second Amended Multiple-year Employment Agreement, the base salary for the first year (beginning on the effective date through March 31, 2023), would be $875,000. Each subsequent year the base salary would increase by $10,000. In the final year of this contract, the base salary would be $895,000. Heeke’s current base salary is $770,000 and is set to increase to $780,000 on April 1, 2022.
• In addition to the base salary, additional incentive compensation for academic and athletic performance are included, as well as a continuation of an annual retention payment of $100,000.
• Aside from the increased base salary and two-year extension, the only other significant change to the existing contract relates to Heeke’s ability to terminate in the final year without any buyout owed to UArizona.
• Additional compensation in the amount of two weeks’ base salary for academic performance achievements for SACGPA (student-athlete cumulative grade point average) can be earned for male athletes and for female athletes in any given Academic Year who outperform their university counterparts. The Academic Year is the twelve consecutive-month period beginning each August on the first day of classes at UArizona. In 2020-2021, Heeke earned incentive compensation of two weeks’ base salary ($29,118.77) for the women’s student-athletes’ cumulative GPA being higher than the University GPA for female students (3.48 Women’s student athlete cumulative GPA compared to a university female student GPA of 3.23).
UA_Director_Athletics perqs• Additional compensation for athletic performance includes Final Director’s Cup ranking, Football Bowl appearance, NCAA Tournament Basketball (Men’s and Women’s) appearances, Baseball and Softball post-season participation, and any other NCAA Sport post-season appearances. Such incentive compensation shall not exceed 24 weeks of base salary in any given Academic Year. In 2020-2021, Heeke earned 8 weeks’ base salary ($118,007.66) in incentive compensation for the following athletic achievements:
o Women’s Basketball – Final Four Appearance (3 weeks’ base salary)
o Baseball – College World Series Appearance (2 weeks’ base salary)
o Softball – College World Series Appearance (2 weeks’ base salary)
o Women’s Golf – Top 8 finish (1 week’s base salary)
• Aside from standard changes to Title IX and conduct language, as well as the other changes identified above, all other terms of the Employment Agreement will remain the same, including those Additional Benefits as set forth in the Exhibit A to the current Employment Agreement (appended below).
• The Employment Agreement will contain standard provisions, including claw back of athletic incentives earned, reporting of outside income, and standard termination for cause provisions by UArizona. Should UArizona terminate the Employment Agreement without cause, UArizona will owe Heeke the remaining amount owed under the Employment Agreement, less any income he receives for subsequent employment or work during the term of the Employment Agreement (Heeke would have a duty to mitigate). If Heeke were to terminate the Employment Agreement without cause, he would owe UArizona $200,000, unless the termination occurs in the final year of the Employment Agreement or in the event the President waived such payment, in which case Heeke would not owe anything.