Ohio State University has filed an appeal in a bid to overturn a state judge’s decision that awarded $2.4-million to a former men’s basketball coach, James J. O’Brien, whom it fired in 2004. The Ohio attorney general’s office, which represents the university in such matters, filed the appeal on Friday, the Associated Press reported.

Mr. O’Brien had prevailed in a lawsuit that contended that the university had no cause to fire him, even though he acknowledged having lent $6,000 to the mother of a recruit (The Chronicle, February 16). The judge in the case set the damages last month (The Chronicle, August 2).

The National Collegiate Athletic Association imposed penalties on Ohio State and Mr. O’Brien, as well as another coach, because of the $6,000 payment and other rules violations (The Chronicle, March 13). Mr. O’Brien did not dispute making the payment, but said he did not believe it violated NCAA rules because he considered it a loan.