USC is making big changes in its athletic department due to the admissions scandal. On Wednesday, it was reported that the school fired three officials from the athletic department – CFO Steve Lopes, senior associate athletic director Ron Orr and associate athletic director Scott Jacobson. According to TMZ, USC didn’t reveal why the three were let go, but it was reported that all three played a big part in the school’s fundraising efforts.
USC has been hit hard with the Varsity Blues scandal as it resulted in FBI indictments against USC senior associate athletic director Dr. Donna Heinel, ex-USC women’s head soccer coach Ali Khosroshahin, ex-assistant soccer coach Laura Janke and former USC men’s water polo head coach Jovan Vavic. The scandal started with William “Rick” Singer, a SoCal business executive, who ran a non-profit college counseling business. The FBI claimed that Singer would facilitate bribes to admissions and college coaches all over the country to get the children of paying parents into the school of their choice.
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Two of the most notable parents involved in the scandal are actress Felicity Huffman and actress Lori Loughlin. Huffman recently served 11 days in prison while Loughlin is getting ready to go to trial. and faces up to 45 years behind bars.
Lopes was a longtime member of the school. According to his bio via 247Sports: “Lopes began working in the USC athletic department in 1984 as an assistant strength coach, then became an administrative assistant in 1986, business manager in 1989, finance director in 1991, assistant athletic director in 1992 and associate athletic director in 1995. He also serves as program coordinator for the Sports Management Institute. He earned a pair of master’s degrees from USC, in athletic administration and business administration, and a doctorate in education from Penn.
Orr has been with USC since 1984 he was a member of the swim team. He was named Associate Athletic Director in August of 1995 and to Senior Associate Athletic Director in 2010. Jacobson was the school’s Associate Athletic Director for the last eight years.
These moves were made by new athletic director Mike Bohn who took over for Lynn Swann in November. Bohn has also taken his share of heat as he was criticized for bringing back football head coach Clay Helton for the 2020 season.
