Emmert will remain in his position until his replacement is hired or until June 30, 2023.
The NCAA Board of Governors announced on Tuesday evening that president Mark Emmert will be stepping down after 12 years on the job, though he will remain in his position until a new president is hired or until June 30, 2023.
“Throughout my tenure I've emphasized the need to focus on the experience and priorities of student-athletes,” Emmert said in a statement. “I am extremely proud of the work of the association over the last 12 years and especially pleased with the hard work and dedication of the national office staff here in Indianapolis.”
The 69-year-old Emmett’s decision was consider a mutual agreement and comes amid a changing landscape in college athletics, with student-athletes now able to profit from their name, image and likeness. They’ve also been granted additional rights not experienced before, such as the opportunity to transfer one time without having to sit out a season.
Emmert has also been criticized for a wide array of issues during his time as NCAA president, headlined by inequalities at the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments and his resistance to compensating student-athletes despite running a billion dollar industry.
"With the significant transitions underway within college sports, the timing of this decision provides the association with consistent leadership during the coming months plus the opportunity to consider what will be the future role of the president," board chair John J. DeGioia said. "It also allows for the selection and recruitment of the next president without disruption."
Prior to becoming the fifth president in NCAA history in April 2010, Emmert served as the chancellor at LSU from 1999-2004 and president at Washington from 2004-10. It is the second-longest tenure behind Walter Byers, who led the organization from 1951-88.
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