The University of Memphis released an unredacted version of a letter Friday evening that may have contributed to former athletic director Tom Bowen's recent resignation, in response to an open records request.

The April 16 letter, which was addressed to university president M. David Rudd and became public earlier this week, alleges Bowen and an athletic department employee engaged in questionable behavior the author deemed "a bit flirty" during a women's basketball road trip for the American Athletic Conference tournament in March.

The sender is identified as Elizabeth A. Holloway, a fan who won a trip to the AAC tournament as an auction item at a fundraising event for the program. The package included traveling on the team plane, hotel accommodations at the team hotel and tickets to the tournament.

"I am certainly not a huge donor who wants any extra attention — but I do think that everyone deserves a little professionalism and common courtesy," Holloway wrote in the letter, in describing university athletic administrations who paid little attention to her on the flight to the tournament.

Holloway also wrote that another athletic department employee took Bowen's room key at hotel check-in because Bowen would be arriving later. The letter also alleges the two sat together throughout the women's basketball game and then characterized their behavior on the bus as "a bit flirty."

The Commercial Appeal has chosen not to reveal the name of the athletic department employee described by the letter.

Bowen sent a letter to university president M. David Rudd resigning from his position on April 20, four days after Holloway's letter was received. Rudd accepted his resignation two days later on April 22, according to an email obtained through an open records request.

Bowen's resignation was then announced on May 14 and Allie Prescott was introduced as the Tigers' interim athletic director.

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Soon after a redacted version of the April 16 letter was published Wednesday, Bowen issued a denial through his representative, insisting that his resignation had nothing to do with the letter.

“On the cusp of me taking a new position, the decision to release a meritless letter that was never presented to me or validated during my tenure as the athletics director at the University of Memphis is dumbfounding to me, and hurtful to my wife and children," Bowen said in a response. "The innuendos are categorically false, had nothing to do with my resignation, and I would agree with the letter’s author that it appears petty. As a trusted leader in college athletics for over 25 years, being transparent has always been critical to my leadership, thus it was important for me to openly and honestly respond."

University counsel Melanie Murry said Bowen resigned "in lieu of an investigation," but the university provided no documentation of an investigation or a potential investigation involving Bowen’s recent resignation in response to an open records request.

"I am thankful to the University of Memphis for releasing the unredacted version of the letter as it clears up a lot of misconceptions," Bowen said in a statement issued to The Commercial Appeal Friday night. "The Tigers have many terrific administrators, coaches and student-athletes, and I am blessed to have spent seven years as their director of athletics. I wish them nothing but success in the future, and I am excited for the new path in front of me. From Mia (Bowen's wife), the kids and myself, thank you all for your faith, prayers and support."