UNLV tabs Bayno to help with raising money

Steve Addy

Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2001 | 10:42 a.m.

While lawyers for UNLV and former coach Bill Bayno continue settlement talks, the university has found a new way for him to earn his $135,000 base salary.

Three weeks after Bayno was removed as men's basketball coach and reassigned within the athletic department, UNLV has named him assistant director for development, special events, summer camps and clinics.

Bayno was notified by letter of his new post, which is predominantly fund-raising. He spoke Tuesday with senior associate AD Jerry Koloskie, and they set Monday as Bayno's starting date.

"(Bayno) called me, as the letter requested, and we went over a few things," Koloskie said. "He asked for the rest of this week to take care of some personal things, so he is going to start on Monday."

Bayno deferred comment to his attorneys Tuesday, but told the Sun he will show up Monday, ready to work.

"I will be there," he said.

UNLV has devised an elaborate job description for Bayno, assigning him the fund-raising post vacated by Jim Bolla last year, among other duties.

"We definitely have a need for a development person, someone to help us cultivate donors," Koloskie said. "In terms of special events, we will have him deal with hospitality and suite issues, primarily for football and men's basketball.

"The newer part (of the job) is the camps and clinics. It's easy for a coach to undertake that role."

But it remains to be seen if the university and Bayno are truly interested in representing each other again, especially in a visible fund-raising role, considering his contentious dismissal on Dec. 11. He was replaced as coach after the NCAA levied major sanctions against the program, including four years' probation and a postseason ban this season.

Lawyers for Bayno and UNLV continue to negotiate a settlement for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his contract. The university feels that because Bayno was "reassigned," not fired, he isn't entitled to compensation beyond his $135,000 base salary.

But Bayno's lawyers contend that he is entitled to extra income that bumped his annual compensation to about $600,000, including payment for TV and radio appearances.

Bayno attorney Steve Owens didn't return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday, but said last month that Bayno "deserves fair compensation for the $1.8 million remaining on his contract."