UI trustee Koritz defends Thomas; Killeen bonus dropped

CHICAGO — University of Illinois trustees on Thursday approved the $295,000-a-year appointment of Paul Kowalczyk as interim athletic director to replace Mike Thomas, who was fired Monday — but not before one trustee took time out to praise the former AD.

Tim Koritz voted for the appointment but said he was sorry to see Thomas go. He noted that the UI has the highest student-athlete GPA of any Big Ten school.

"I think that's a tremendous legacy," Kortiz said. "He had the best interests of student-athletes at heart."

In other board action:

— Trustees voted to drop a $225,000 retention bonus from the contract of Timothy Killeen. The president opted to remove the perk in light of the state's budget…