The Black Coaches Association (BCA) will publish an annual report card on minority hiring in intercollegiate athletics.

The BCA announced August 23 that it was taking the action as part of its mission to increase the number of higher-level jobs available to minority coaches and to assist minorities aspiring to have careers in athletics administration.

"The amount of minority hiring throughout all NCAA institutions has actually been stagnant over the past few years," said Robert J. Minnix, associate director of athletics at Florida State University. "Beginning this year, the Black Coaches Association is going to make the president of every NCAA institution accountable for its hiring of coaches and athletics administrators."

Clint Bryant, director of athletics at Augusta State University and executive consultant to the BCA, said the report will be based on a questionnaire that will be sent to presidents at all NCAA member institutions. The first report will be based on information for January 1-December 31, 2000, including all athletically related positions open during that period and the ethnicity of those who applied (to the extent possible), were interviewed and were hired for the positions.

"In restructuring, presidents have the final authority," said Bryant, who also chairs the Division II Management Council. "With that comes some responsibility to be concerned about the hiring practices on campuses. This puts the responsibility and accountability where it needs to be, in the laps of presidents."

The report will be issued in 2001, probably at the annual BCA convention.

The BCA also criticized the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for failing to include minority-hiring problems as one of its priorities as it reviews college athletics issues. The commission met August 28 (see story, page 1).

"The concern of the Black Coaches Association is that the problem of minority hiring is not even on their radar screen," said a BCA statement. "In order for presidents and CEOs of our nation's colleges to make the issue a top priority, it is necessary for the Knight Commission to lead by example in these efforts."

In that regard, the statement expressed concern that the commission contains only two Blacks and two women.