Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel will step down at the end of the calendar year, the university announced Monday. The school released a summary of an independent investigation into the "culture" of the scandal-plagued athletic department, which concluded issues were not "widespread." The investigation, conducted by Chicago law firm Jenner & Block, has already cost nearly $12 million.

Manuel, 58, a former Michigan defensive lineman under Bo Schembechler, has led the department for over a decade, overseeing national championships in football and men's basketball. However, his tenure included numerous NCAA run-ins and legal issues. The review found Manuel "demonstrated important leadership strengths" but identified "failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing."

President Domenico Grasso issued a video statement critical of the "culture, conduct and procedures," calling findings "unacceptable" and citing "failures in accountability, structural deficiencies, weakness in our reporting and support systems and concerns about retaliation." Grasso mentioned empowering compliance and HR, strengthening background checks, and addressing "interference, poor oversight and failures of accountability of the highest levels of university leadership."

Scandals under Manuel included Jim Harbaugh's NCAA violations and sign-stealing scandal involving Connor Stalions, former offensive coordinator Matt Weiss's federal indictment, and the 2025 firing of head football coach Sherron Moore for an inappropriate relationship with staff member Paige Shiver. Manuel was set to earn $2.4 million annually through 2030. The university pledged reforms including an Ethics, Integrity, and Compliance Office.