ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The retired Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Harry Flynn, has resigned as chairman of the St. Thomas Board of Trustees.

In a statement Saturday, the university said the board accepted Flynn’s retirement at its regular meeting Thursday. The statement also confirmed the board’s vice chairman, the Rev. Kevin McDonough, resigned Oct. 4.

The board elected Michael Dougherty, a trustee since 2003, as its interim chair. Dougherty is also chair of the board’s executive committee. He is chairman and chief executive officer of Dougherty Financial Group LLC in Minneapolis. The statement said the St. Thomas board expects to elect a permanent chair and vice chair at its Feb. 13 meeting.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank Archbishop Flynn for his many years of dedicated service to the board and to the university,” Dougherty said in a statement released by the university.

The statement did not give reasons for Flynn’s or McDonough’s resignations, and university spokesman Doug Hennes, vice president of university and government relations, declined to comment. Both men had been under criticism in recent weeks for their handling of clerical sexual abuse cases.

The statement said St. Thomas has retained outside counsel to lead an independent investigation of “matters related to clergy sexual abuse allegations that impact the university” and has appointed a special committee to oversee the investigation.

Hennes confirmed Saturday that the board is appointing a special committee to oversee the investigation and to review findings and recommendations.

The committee will also confirm that the university has appropriate policies and procedures in place and that it takes appropriate follow-up action. The committee will be chaired by Timothy P. Flynn, a St. Thomas trustee since 2006 and also vice chair of the board’s Executive Committee. Flynn is the retired chairman and CEO of KPMG.

TommieMedia contacted Hennes, but he said he was unable to provide more information at this time.

Briggs LeSavage contributed to this report.