One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
USC Athletic Director Lynn Swann Resigns
Lynn Swann, athletic director of USC, reacts during a college football game against Notre Dame on Nov. 24, 2018. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Only a couple weeks into the 2019 college football season, USC's athletics director, Lynn Swann, has resigned from his role.
Dave Roberts, who is currently the NCAA's Vice Chair for the Committee on Infractions, will become the USC's interim athletic director until a permanent replacement is named.
In a letter sent to staff and students, USC president Carol Folt wrote:
"Lynn has been a leader on and off the field at USC for nearly five decades, and he will forever be a valued member of the Trojan Family.
Lynn has led our Athletics Department to five national championships in five different women's and men's sports during his tenure. Our student-athletes' cumulative GPA for the past two years and our graduation rate of 86% last year were all-time highs for USC Athletics. We appreciate Lynn's leadership of the department over these past three years and will continue to be grateful for his historic contributions to USC."
Sponsored message
RELATED: USC Promised Transparency, So Why Is It Acting 'Like The Kremlin'?
Former football player Lynn Swann watches warmups from the sideline prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Heinz Field on Sept. 20, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Swann began his USC career as a student and acclaimed wide receiver. He played on the university's football team from 1971 to 1974, including in 1972 when the Trojans went undefeated and won a national championship.
After graduating, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1974 and played for them for nine seasons, helping the team win four Super Bowls.
He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
Sponsored message
After retiring from professional sports, Swann was also a sports commentator for ABC Sports for 30 years.
In 2006, Swann ran, as a Republican, for governor of Pennsylvania but lost to Democrat Ed Rendell.
Swann was named USC's athletic director in April 2016 to fill the role after Pat Haden retired.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
