Dr. Larry Hollier announced Thursday that he will be stepping down as the chancellor of LSU’s Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.

Hollier’s resignation is effective immediately, according to LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard. Hollier was chancellor since 2005, and his contract was originally scheduled to end in December.

The exact reason for Hollier’s departure is unknown, though his leaving comes a month after an audit revealed that he sought raises for close colleagues, underpaid women and violated university policies for firing employees, according to a report by Nola.com.

Hollier plans to return to the faculty at LSU Health Science Center New Orleans and will continue his practice as a vascular surgeon.

The university will name an interim chancellor and then begin a national search for a permanent chancellor.

LSU will name an interim chancellor in the near future and have begun a national search for the next chancellor of the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans.