The Wolverine

December 2014

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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BY JOHN BORTON F riends and business associ- ates know former Steelcase CEO Jim Hackett as a man who can get things done. As Michigan's interim athletic director, stepping into the shoes of former AD Dave Brandon, Hackett will be called upon to live up to that description. University of Michigan president Mark Schlissel announced Oct. 31 his acceptance of Brandon's resignation as athletic director, following a tumul- tuous autumn of growing protests against his leadership. Schlissel, in his position for only a few months after arriving from Brown University, ac- knowledged he'd learned very quickly the passion and attention swirling around athletics at Michigan. In accepting Brandon's resigna- tion, offered two days earlier, Schlis- sel hoped to be taking a positive step forward. "Dave feels that it would be in the best interest of our student-athletes, the athletic department and the uni- versity community if he moved on to other challenges and allowed the im- portant work of the department and University to continue without daily distractions," Schlissel said. "And I agree with this decision." It appeared for a time that Brandon might be putting on a full-court press to avoid stepping down. He met indi- vidually with a host of media outlets in the wake of the controversial aftermath of the concussion situation involving U-M sophomore quarterback Shane Morris. Brandon also oversaw the dramatic decrease in the cost of Michigan foot- ball student season tickets for 2015, following a long-running dispute over seating and other concerns by students. A well-orchestrated recovery effort began ramping up, according to some in the athletic department. But the drip-drip-drip of various controversies began taking their toll. When Brandon's purported responses to unhappy emails were published — such as telling disgruntled football fol- lowers to find a new team for which to root — those looking to salvage his NEW MAN IN CHARGE Jim Hackett Takes Over As Interim Athletic Director After Dave Brandon's Resignation

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