The Texas A&M University System regents on Monday are expected to consider approving a settlement in a civil case filed by several families of Aggies who died or were injured when Bonfire collapsed almost nine years ago.
The agenda for the 9 a.m. meeting in the regents' board room at the Memorial Student Center on campus states that "the parties have negotiated a settlement over those claims."
System officials said in a press release that regents would meet in closed session and discuss authorizing A&M President Elsa Murano to settle pending litigation against former university administrators.
Both A&M spokesman Jason Cook and system spokesman Rod Davis declined to comment Sunday, citing a policy that prohibits discussing pending litigation.
"This has been a process that has evolved over several years, and once we're able to detail any sort of announcement, we'll be sure to share that with you then," Cook said Sunday evening.
Eleven students and one former student were killed, while 27 others were injured when the 1 million pound stack of logs collapsed while under construction early Nov. 18, 1999. Not long after, a "blue ribbon" committee appointed by the university hired independent engineers and consultants to research what went wrong. They blamed faulty design and decades of "tunnel vision" by administrators and students, but did not cite any individuals as contributing to the disaster.
Twelve previous administrators are named in litigation dating back to 2001, including former A&M President Ray Bowen; John Koldus II, former vice president of student affairs; and Maj. Gen. M.T. Hopgood Jr., former commandant for the Corps of Cadets.
An appeals court in May upheld a ruling that the families could bring suit against the administrators, who had sought immunity because of a judicial doctrine that prevents government agencies and officials from being held liable in lawsuits.
Darrell Keith, attorney for the families of three of those who died and two who were injured, could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Families of students who died in the collapse -- Christopher Lee Heard, Bryan McClain, Jerry Self and Chad Powell -- are plaintiffs in the case, along with John Comstock, Dominic Braus and Matthew Robbins, who were injured.
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