San Diego State athletic director Rick Bay resigned under pressure Thursday, an action stemming from the recent California State University Chancellor's Office audit that outlined irregularities in the university's athletic department.

In addition, senior associate athletic director Jana Doggett was terminated, according to university president Stephen Weber. Director of equipment Steve Bartel has been placed on leave pending disciplinary action.

Weber said an interim athletic director from outside the department will be appointed within the next 10 to 14 days. He said a national search will be conducted to find a new athletic director, with a target date of Jan. 1, 2004.

SDSU's Division of Business and Financial Affairs will handle administrative duties until the interim athletic director is named.

The audit released two weeks ago detailed a pattern of state property being misused, the special admissions process being abused and a climate that discouraged the reporting of misdeeds to superiors.

The university concurred with all the report's findings. That led to friction between Weber and Bay, as the latter didn't agree with all of the findings.

Weber said he asked Bay to resign last Friday. Bay originally decided not to quit, but changed his mind and tendered his resignation Thursday morning.

The president said he would've fired Bay had he not resigned.

"I could've fought it," Bay said in a face-to-face interview Thursday with the North County Times. "I just thought this environment would be impossible (to continue as athletic director) and that it doesn't make any sense to fight it at this stage."

The 60-year-old Bay became SDSU's athletic director in 1995. He had two years left on a contract that paid him $162,097 annually in state income, as well as another $70,000 in compensation from private donors.

Bay, who also had the title of special assistant to the president, said he was given the weekend to think about resigning. He said he informed Weber on Monday that he had no intention of doing so.

"I started thinking it over and thought, 'I haven't done anything wrong personally,' " Bay said. " 'I've not been implicated personally. Our teams are really doing well. We're raising a lot of money, our facilities are good, but we had this problem in the equipment room and it's a serious problem and public trust is important, but when you take it all together, does it merit my resigning?' I decided that it probably didn't."

Weber said there were philosophical differences that led to him requesting Bay's resignation. He decided Bay had to leave after viewing some of the auditor's backup materials that weren't contained in the report.

"In the last few days I've had my first opportunity to review the documentation in which the auditor drew his conclusions," Weber said. "It suggests numerous practices and behaviors in the athletic department that are inconsistent with the goals of our university and with our obligations to student, employees and the citizens of California.

"I've had several meetings with the athletic director and members of his senior management. I made it clear that the university views the auditor's report as raising serious concerns that require a determined response. Unfortunately, it became clear that the athletic director did not share my views as to the legitimacy of the audit or the scope of its implications. This divergence is unacceptable and could not continue."

Weber said Doggett was fired because he didn't believe he could rebuild the athletic department if she remained a part of it. Though she wasn't mentioned by name by Weber, Doggett is believed to be the target of an investigation in regards to whether she improperly received her SDSU degree.

"We have had a concern raised and Academic Affairs is investigating that claim," Weber said. "An allegation has been raised that one person received a degree inappropriately.

"It's possible that there has been a problem in that regard and we know how to trace that down. Where that will lead and what that may find remains to be seen."

Doggett didn't return phone messages left through an athletic department spokesman.

Meanwhile, Bartel's attorney, Paul Kondrick, has produced documents that support Bartel's claims that he purchased golf clubs from TaylorMade Golf in 1999, contradicting the auditor's report that Bartel bartered athletic gear in exchange for the clubs.

The documents show purchases made by Bartel from TaylorMade for $512.69 and $104.21.

Several SDSU employees were disappointed to learn of Bay's resignation.

"I'm sad for Rick Bay," said Ed White, the athletic department's development officer. "I think Rick did a heck of a job here as athletic director. He's going to be sorely missed."

Said Aztecs softball coach Kathy Van Wyk: "I'm extremely sad for the athletic department and the university. I think both Rick and Jana are good people and I've always felt a tremendous amount of support from both of them."

Football coach Tom Craft issued a statement Thursday.

"Rick Bay has accomplished many things at San Diego State that will continue to have a positive impact for decades to come," the statement read. "I am grateful for the opportunity he gave me to serve as head coach at my alma mater. Rick has always given me the utmost support with my program. I wish him the best."

Associate athletic director of marketing Steve Schnall said he'll miss working for Bay.

"I'm very sad," said Schnall, an Encinitas resident. "He's a colleague. I thought he was an excellent boss. It's just a day of sadness, personally."