Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel to depart at year-end after independent review

University of Michigan said on Monday that athletic director Warde Manuel will step down at the end of the calendar year. The announcement accompanied a summary of an independent review of the department’s culture, which concluded that misconduct was not widespread but identified gaps in accountability, organizational structure, oversight and reporting.

The review, commissioned in late 2025 and costing nearly $12 million, offered a series of recommendations to improve accountability and operational effectiveness. It noted that Manuel demonstrated leadership strengths, particularly in his commitment to student-athletes, while also pointing to delays in addressing employee misconduct allegations.

University President Domenico Grasso, in a video statement, said the findings highlighted “failures in accountability, structural deficiencies, weakness in our reporting and support systems and concerns about retaliation,” and pledged to empower compliance and human-resources functions, strengthen background checks, and increase the independence of the compliance office.

Manuel, a former Michigan defensive lineman, expressed pride in the department’s achievements over his 11-year tenure and said he would remain on staff to help implement the review’s recommendations. His contract, which runs through 2030 with an annual salary of about $2.4 million, includes a buyout whose terms were not disclosed.

The department has experienced both competitive success and several off-field incidents, including NCAA sanctions related to former football coach Jim Harbaugh, a sign-stealing investigation, and legal issues involving former staff members. None of these incidents were directly linked to Manuel.

The university said it will create an Ethics, Integrity, and Compliance Office and enhance the independence of the athletics human-resources department as part of the corrective actions.