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MISSOULA- University of Montana Vice President Jim Foley is stepping down as vice president for external relations, but he will stay employed with UM, working in university licensing and federal relations for research funding for the next year.

In a statement released to Montana's News Station, Foley said, "Both Julie and I believe we got far more out of the relationship with UM than we have been able to give back. We look forward to our next chapter."

We asked President Royce Engstrom if Foley's reassignment had to do with the mishandling of the sex assaults reports.

"The cumulative events of the last several months have just led us to the point of a mutual understanding that it's time for a change in personnel and in the structure of the position," Engstrom said in a Tuesday interview.

The search for the vice president for integrated communications will be chaired by UM School of Journalism Dean Peggy Kuhr and is expected to get underway shortly. Foley has been with the University of Montana since 2005.