West Virginia University President Mike Garrison made official his decision to resign over the controversy stirred by the alleged improper awarding of a master's degree to the governor's daughter, The Associated Press reported.

Before the university’s Board of Governors, Garrison announced on Friday his decision, the “most difficult” he had to face.

"After careful reflection, I have determined I am the one person who is uniquely situated to stop this dialogue with my decision."

Garrison's administration had a bad start nine months ago, when he took office. Beside the degree scandal, the departure of former football coach Rich Rodriguez also caused controversy. Rodriguez’s sudden exit led to a $4 million lawsuit by WVU over a buyout clause in the coach’s contract.

Garrison’s announcement comes just as investigators found out that the WVU improperly awarded an MBA to Heather Bresch, chief operating officer at Mylan Inc., a Pittsburgh-based pharmaceutical producer. The 39-year-old WVU President said in the statement that he had been "personally and deeply affected" by the scandal.

Almost two moths ago, an independent panel released contemptuous of West Virginia University's decision to award an executive MBA degree to Bresch.

WVU’s Board of Governors thanked Garrison for his service to the university and the noble decision he took.

"Sometimes this great university and that public trust are far more important than any one individual or any one issue. Mike Garrison demonstrated that by his unselfish action," the statement read.

Two other officials of the university will soon resign. The university announced in April that Provost Lang and Stephen Sears (dean of the college of business and economics) are to resign on June 30.

Lang worked with the West Virginia University for about 30 years and is currently vice president of academic affairs, while Sears is the school’s dean since 2005.