The family of the late University of Arizona professor, Dr. Thomas Meixner, who was tragically shot on campus in the fall of 2022, has entered into a multimillion-dollar agreement with the university, according to statements from attorneys representing his wife and sons on Tuesday.
The law firm, representing Kathleen Meixner and her two sons, conveyed that the family has chosen not to pursue legal action against the university as part of the agreement. The decision follows a claim filed in March, acting as a precursor to a lawsuit, wherein the family sought damages totaling $9 million, as per The Independent.
University of Arizona Commits to Support After Tragic Incident
The UA Executive Office of the President disclosed that the agreement encompasses both monetary and non-monetary commitments. These commitments, as outlined in an email to community members on Tuesday, include a financial settlement for the family and non-monetary assurances affirming the university's ongoing support for those most affected by the tragic events. Furthermore, the family will have a voice in the university's planning and implementation of measures aimed at enhancing the safety and security of the university community.
The family's lawyers, in their own statement, revealed that as part of this multi-million-dollar resolution, the University of Arizona will extend critical assistance to those most immediately impacted by Dr. Meixner's death. Since the unfortunate incident, the university has reportedly allocated substantial funding designed to safeguard the well-being of the university.
Details regarding the settlement, including its financial implications for taxpayers, have not been immediately released by either the UA or the Arizona Board of Regents.
Addressing safety concerns on campus, the university is taking proactive measures by implementing 33 recommendations put forth by the PAX Group, a company specializing in workplace safety. The PAX report, commissioned by the UA, identified systemic lapses in safety measures and ineffective investigations into threats against Meixner and other faculty by an expelled former graduate student up to a year before the fatal shooting.
Dr. Thomas Meixner, a hydrology and atmospheric sciences professor, met a tragic end on October 5, 2022, inside the Harshbarger building on campus. Murad Dervish, a former graduate student, is facing first-degree murder charges and is scheduled to stand trial later this year, according to Tucson.
Thomas Meixner Family Settles Claim Against University
The Meixner family initially filed a claim against the UA in March 2023, seeking $9 million in damages. In October 2023, both parties announced collaborative efforts to settle the claim, with the family's initial filing contending that the shooting was a direct consequence of the university's failure to respond to repeated threats made by Dervish.
In an announcement released by the family's lawyers on Tuesday, Kathleen Meixner, the wife of the late professor, shared her thoughts on the settlement, expressing a common sentiment felt after school shootings: the realization of missed opportunities to prevent such tragedies.
She acknowledged the exemplary efforts of the Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences department but stressed the need to look towards the future with urgency, ensuring the prevention of similar incidents.
Alongside an undisclosed financial sum, the agreement includes non-monetary commitments affirming the university's support for the well-being of those most affected by the events. The university and the Arizona Board of Regents emphasized that the family will retain a voice in the planning and execution of safety measures on campus.
Murad Dervish, charged with first-degree murder, had been expelled from the school and barred from campus after allegations of sending threatening communications to Meixner and other professors. An independent review in March highlighted multiple missed opportunities in investigating and possibly arresting Dervish.
As the legal proceedings unfold, Kathleen Meixner expressed the family's appreciation for increased security measures instituted on campus, reiterating the crucial need to prevent similar tragedies in the future, Associated Press reported.
