UCLA ousts athletic director Martin Jarmond, taps former Lakers executive Tim Harris to replace him

LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA fired athletic director Martin Jarmond on Monday and replaced him with Tim Harris, the former longtime president of business operations for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The shake-up was announced in a letter from Chancellor Julio Frenk to the university community. Frank described it as a “new path forward for UCLA Athletics.”

Jarmond, who had the job for six years, leaves immediately. The Bruins won three NCAA championships last season, including the first by the women's basketball team.

Harris will have the title of CEO and athletic director, Frenk wrote. Harris graduated from UCLA in 1989 with a sociology degree and played goalkeeper for the men's soccer team while in Westwood.

Harris left the Lakers in February after more than 30 years with the NBA franchise.

Jarmond, 46, replaced Dan Guerrero as AD in 2020. During his tenure, the athletic department posted deficits year after year. Frenk cited the financial situation as a reason for the change.

“UCLA Athletics currently carries a significant financial debt, and its current path is not sustainable,” Frenk wrote. “Now is the moment to build a model for Athletics that protects the breadth of our program, creates new opportunities for student-athletes and coaches, and supports itself through the revenue it generates.”

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