Cybele Raver, the University of Michigan Board of Regents’ choice to become the university’s next president, has not started the job yet, but sports commentator John U. Bacon says the university’s unreleased athletic department investigation and search for a new athletic director will be among the major issues awaiting her.
Bacon laid out the challenge on Michigan Public's Morning Edition on Friday, Aug. 21, criticizing the university's handling of the more than $12 million Jenner & Block investigation and pointing to the athletic director search as another major issue for U-M's incoming president.
"They promised transparency and accountability and delivered zero of either," Bacon said. "So, her first decision is how to handle that and hopefully get Michigan on the right path."
Bacon's comments were criticism of the university's handling of the investigation. U-M released a summary of key findings in July but has not released the full report.
What the report found — and what's still withheld
U-M retained Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block in late 2025 for an investigation that examined the circumstances surrounding the firing of football coach Sherrone Moore and the broader culture of the athletic department.
The investigation cost more than $12 million, involved more than 350 interviews and a review of more than 20,000 documents, and received information from 90 people through a public hotline, according to Inside Higher Ed and MLive.
On July 20, U-M released a summary of key findings rather than the full report. The summary cited "weaknesses in accountability, organizational structure, oversight, and reporting" that created conditions in which misconduct was not always addressed consistently or promptly.
The university has denied Freedom of Information Act requests for the full report, citing attorney-client privilege. Former executive assistant Paige Shiver has sued U-M over six denied FOIA requests related to the investigation.
The same day the summary was released, Athletic Director Warde Manuel announced he would step down at the end of 2026.
Manuel has served as Michigan's athletic director since 2016. During his tenure, Michigan teams won four national championships, including football in 2023 and men's basketball in 2026.
The Jenner & Block summary also identified "failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing by Athletic Department employees," according to the Detroit News.
Interim President Domenico Grasso called the findings "unacceptable" and said U-M has "significant work ahead to restore Michigan athletics to its standing as a model program."
Raver's timeline
The University of Michigan Board of Regents announced Raver as its choice for the university's 17th president on Aug. 18.
The board is scheduled to formally vote on her appointment Tuesday, Sept. 1. If approved, Raver's term would begin Dec. 1.
Manuel is scheduled to step down at the end of the year.
Raver currently serves as Vanderbilt University's provost and vice chancellor. She is a developmental psychologist and has not previously overseen an athletics department.
Regent Sarah Hubbard told MLive in early August she is "not worried about our new president being able to attract high-quality candidates for AD," calling Michigan's athletic director position one of the most sought-after in the country.
No public timeline or named candidates for Michigan's athletic director search have been announced.
Meanwhile, MSU moves fast
Bacon contrasted Michigan's pending athletic director search with Michigan State University's Aug. 17 hiring of Dan Bartholomae.
Bartholomae left Western Michigan University, where the Broncos won 37 Mid-American Conference championships during his tenure, along with the MAC football title last season and the 2025 men's hockey national championship.
Bacon gave the hire an "A-plus," calling Bartholomae "the real deal."
Michigan's athletic director search has no publicly announced timeline.
