National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

February 24, 1997

Panel studies eligibility data for minorities

Opportunities and interests group also tackles hiring, diversity education

The NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee focused on initial-eligibility standards, hiring practices and diversity education among other topics during its February 9-10 meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

The committee reviewed NCAA research regarding characteristics of Division I recruits, including ethnic and income level groups from the 1994-95 Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.

The committee will recommend to the NCAA Presidents Commission that a further review of exiting data be closely examined to ascertain the disparate impact that NCAA rules may be having on minority student-athletes' access to higher educational opportunities.

The clearinghouse data was reviewed in conjunction with the committee's study of the class-action lawsuit filed against the NCAA by the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice. The committee took no formal action regarding the lawsuit but will forward a position paper to the NCAA Council.

In other actions, the committee noted that of the 23 head coaching positions available in Division I-A football this year, only one was filled with an ethnic minority. This was despite the Black Coaches Association providing a list of 16 top candidates identified as having the experience and leadership qualities to lead a major college football program.

The committee also expressed concern that few of the candidates were even interviewed for the openings. Noting the need for fairness in the process by which minorities engage in hiring procedures, the committee will ask the Presidents Commission to urge university presidents to assume a more active role in the recruitment and retention of minority coaches and staff.

The committee also reviewed a proposal to purchase the rights to a diversity-education program developed by Coleman Management Consultants and Multidiversity Associates that has been developed to target institutional chief executive officers, athletics directors and head coaches. The committee also studied the concept of a train-the-trainer component that would provide for regional workshops to train selected staff at member institutions, which would enable them to conduct diversity-education workshops on their campuses.

The committee will continue to negotiate with the consultants regarding this issue.

The committee also revisited its long-range plan in light of NCAA restructuring and appointed a subcommittee to study the committee's goals and objectives related to diversity, initial-eligibility standards, hiring practices and committee access for ethnic minorities. The subcommittee will report to the full committee in May.

Other highlights

Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee
February 9-10/Kansas City, Missouri

Voted to recommend that the Divisions I, II and III Management Councils be represented on the committee beginning in August.

Discussed a national marketing plan to promote National Student-Athlete Day, which will be celebrated April 6.

Reaffirmed a previous recommendation to increase the number of postgraduate scholarships awarded through the ethnic-minority enhancement program from 10 to 12.

Voted to support the notion of continued NCAA staff growth to provide the quality of service for the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee and other committees that rely heavily on staff for information and services.