"Today, President Nikias and the executive committee of the board of trustees have agreed to begin an orderly transition and commence the process of selecting a new president," wrote board member Rick J. Caruso in a statement Friday. Tyndall reportedly targeted Chinese students because of their limited understanding of the English language and US medical procedures. On Tuesday, three former Chinese graduates filed a civil lawsuit against USC through the Deng Law Center and law firm Girardi and Keese. Nikias became the 11th president of USC in 2010. Liu Yinmeng in Los Angeles contributed to this story.