​The University of Michigan’s athletic director’s future has been in the spotlight since the Board of Regents widened an investigation into former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore in December to include the culture of the scandal-ridden athletic department — something Warde Manuel told The Detroit News on Monday shouldn’t impact his employment at the school.As the regents prepare to meet Thursday in Traverse City, national media reports are circling about Manuel’s future, including speculation on a buyout or firing and a board discussion of the investigation. The regents might discuss on Thursday the findings of the $12 million investigation into the athletic department.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhen asked by text Monday morning whether he is staying as athletic director, Manuel told The News, “Yes, I am.”More: ‘It’s his job to know’: Oversight by UM’s Manuel questioned over scandalsNational outlets, including ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, are reporting that a decision on the future of AD Warde Manuel could be discussed as part of the review of the investigation’s findings. However, Manuel told Yahoo! Sports reporter Ross Dellenger via text, “The president and I have had several great conversations over the past couple of days. There are no plans for me not to continue to be the athletic director for the near future.”Paul Corliss, Michigan’s assistant vice president for Public Affairs and Internal Communications, disputed the reports. Corliss said, to his knowledge, no physical investigative report existed, and there were no plans to discuss Manuel or the investigation at the meeting.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementManuel, who has led the department since 2016, oversaw four national championships and a litany of scandals and questionable behavior by coaches and athletic department staff for which he was responsible. The most recent scrutiny of his leadership came after former head football coach Sherrone Moore was fired for lying about having an affair with his assistant, Paige Shiver.In April, Moore pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors — trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunications device, with the malicious use of a telecommunications device the more serious of the misdemeanors. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation.More: Sherrone Moore firing, arrest: Breakup, break-in lead to Michigan coach’s downfallAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I felt betrayed,” Manuel told The Detroit News in April when asked his reaction to what transpired with Moore. “It’s the best word that I can use. I felt hurt for all the staff and the student-athletes and the university, because it’s something that I had talked about as it related to the expectations of our employees in athletics and for the university.”This incident, along with the way Moore’s firing was handled, sparked the university to retain attorneys with the Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block, who were originally hired to investigate Moore’s