The University of Michigan Board of Regents met on Thursday to discuss the findings of a $12 million investigation into the athletic department. After the meeting, one question was put directly to Michigan University president Domenico Grasso.

MLive reporter Sam Jane asked Grasso whether he still believed Warde Manuel was the best Athletic Director in the country, a claim Grasso had made publicly just months ago.

"Warde is one of the best athletic directors in the country," Grasso responded, per Sam Jane on X.

Not the best. One of the best. That one word swap is small, but it says something. Grasso did not go all in, and he did not shut the door either. He backed Manuel but left room for things to change.

When asked whether the investigation's findings would be released to the public, Grasso kept his cards close.

"That's under consideration," Grasso told MLive reporter Sam Jane. "We're still thinking about it."

Michigan spent $12 million on the Jenner and Block investigation, and the findings are yet to be disclosed to the public. That is a significant detail for an institution that publicly emphasizes administrative transparency.

Manuel himself has been defiant throughout the week. He told The Michigan Insider on Tuesday that he had been fired by social media three times in his ten years at Michigan and called the reports nonsense.

"I don't know, I think I've been fired by social media three times in my 10 years here. I just move through it. To me, it's nonsense," Manuel said on The Michigan Insider interview.

Manuel is under contract through 2030 and is one of the highest-paid athletic directors in the country. Any departure would require a buyout negotiation.

The investigation started in December 2025 after former football coach Sherrone Moore was fired for an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member and arrested the same night.

It has since grown beyond just the Moore situation. It now covers culture and conduct across the entire athletic department.

The investigation’s focus on Warde Manuel centers on when he knew about Moore

The real question around Manuel is not what happened. Everyone knows what happened. The question is when he found out.

Investigators are trying to establish how early Manuel and others knew about Moore's conduct before the firing actually happened. If it turns out he knew and sat on it, that changes everything for him.

Manuel spoke to The Michigan Insider and said he is proud of what Michigan built during his time there. National championships in football and basketball. A decade of work. He has not touched the timeline question publicly.

"If you look at the things that have been accomplished over the last 10 years that I've been here, I'm very proud of what we've accomplished," Manuel said.

Grasso's words give Manuel something to hold onto for now. Whether the rest of the Board of Regents sees it the same way is a question that will be answered very soon.

What do you think about Michigan President Grasso backing Warde Manuel after Thursday's Board of Regents meeting? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore