URBANA — Perhaps no other University of Illinois president had a more tumultuous first year on the job than Tim Killeen.
The tone was set a few days before he took office on May 18, 2015. As the campus prepared for commencement, a former football player lashed out on Twitter, accusing UI coaches of forcing students to play while injured. The allegations prompted an external investigation that led to the firing of the head coach and athletic director.
Similar allegations of player abuse in women's basketball brought another investigation, the departure of an assistant coach and a $375,000 legal settlement with former players.