May 12, 2021 Just nine days after Mike Polisky was promoted as Northwestern's new athletic director, Polisky resigned from his post following significant criticism and a community-wide protest organized by faculty members. "My love and respect for Northwestern and for our student-athletes, coaches and staff, is greater than my own desire to lead the department," Polisky said in a statement. "I do not want to be a distraction to our incredible men and women as they pursue a collective goal – to help our student-athletes become the best they can be. While my family and I are disappointed, I move forward knowing this is the right decision."