EUGENE, Ore. — The president of the University of Oregon characterizes the $2.3 million golden parachute for outgoing athletic director Mike Bellotti as a buyout. Richard Lariviere stopped short of saying Bellotti was fired.

Bellotti was football coach of the Ducks for 14 season. He abruptly announced on March 19 that he was stepping down as athletic director after nine months on the job to become an ESPN analyst.

Since then questions have been raised about Bellotti's compensation from the public university.

Lariviere called the move a "mutually agreed-upon resignation." He said no public funds are going into the buyout.