University of Michigan spends $12 million on external audit of athletic department

The University of Michigan hired law firm Jenner & Block in December to conduct a review of its athletic department's culture and operations. Over roughly six months, the firm conducted about 350 interviews, followed up on 90 tip-line calls and examined more than 20,000 pages of documents, incurring a fee that is approaching $12 million.

The investigation covered a decade of events, including multiple NCAA investigations, a $30 million fine, a period of probation, federal cybercrime charges against a former assistant football coach, and other controversies involving former staff members. Jenner & Block’s final statement said the review did not find evidence of misconduct that was "widespread throughout the department."

The university said the full report will not be released, citing privacy concerns for participants and attorney-client privilege. In a separate announcement, the school confirmed that athletic director Warde Manuel will leave his position at the end of the year and will receive a multi-million-dollar buyout, despite his contract running through 2030 with an annual salary of about $2.4 million.

University officials indicated that the findings highlighted weaknesses in accountability, organizational structure, oversight and reporting, and that the school plans to strengthen the independence, visibility and authority of its compliance function to improve institutional accountability.

"We are committed to reinforcing our compliance and oversight mechanisms to ensure that any misconduct is addressed promptly and in line with university expectations," a university spokesperson said.

The university also noted that a new athletic director will be appointed, though no timeline for the hire was provided.