USC athletic director Mike Bohn resigns

Mike Bohn, athletic director at the University of Southern California, resigned on Friday afternoon, effective immediately, the school announced.

Bohn mentioned “ongoing health challenges” in a statement to the Los Angeles Times and told the newspaper that it was “the right time to step away” from the position. However, the Los Angeles Times reported that the resignation comes a day after the paper’s inquiry into “internal criticism of his management of the athletics department.”

Shortly after Bohn’s resignation announcement, the Los Angeles Times reported that USC earlier this year hired an external law firm to investigate the athletic department’s workplace culture, during which staffers raised concerns about Bohn.

In an open letter to USC alumni and the school, president Carol Folt pointed out that the “USC athletics department has transformed into a national powerhouse” over the last four years.

“In our singular pursuit of excellence, I am committed to ensuring we have the right leadership in place to achieve our goals,” she said. “As part of that commitment and as we prepare to move to the Big Ten, we conducted a thorough review of the athletics department, including its operations, culture and strategy. Having built a strong foundation over the…