Tennessee pays 'communications professional' for aid in suit

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee is paying a former adviser to Gov. Bill Haslam to assist in ''communications strategies'' with the lawyers representing the school in a Title IX lawsuit that has since been settled.

According to a letter obtained through a public records request, Tennessee agreed to hire a ''communications professional'' who would work from March 2016 through February 2017 and ''the maximum liability of the University shall be $240,000.''

Although the letter didn't identify the communications professional, Tom Ingram of Ingram Group confirmed he was the one hired. Ingram is a former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and ran campaigns for Haslam, Alexander and U.S. Sen. Bob Corker.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel first reported the agreement.

Tennessee reached a $2.48 million settlement in July with eight unidentified women who sued the school.