Much has been written recently about the lack of diversity in athletics administration, but virtually no one in a position to effectuate change has stepped up and done so on a consistent basis.

Because of this there hasn't been much change at the senior leadership levels within intercollegiate athletics.

This leads me to ask the simple question: Why?

Those who are not sincerely committed to improving diversity typically have all kind of excuses. "We cannot find qualified minorities," "No minorities applied," "We found another, more qualified, candidate." And those are just a few.

But there are those who are sincerely committed to diversity at the administrative level who have hired minorities to meaningful positions with leadership responsibilities on their staff. However, the majority of athletics staffs at the Division I-A and I-AA levels have missed the boat. Many, in fact, have not so much as one minority administrator. This is inexcusable and unacceptable.

Conversely, minorities make up about 40 percent of the student-athletes on most Division I football and basketball teams, and in many cases the percentage is higher. How, then, can these universities search all over the world -- to South America, Europe, Africa and Asia -- to recruit minority athletes but refuse to look across the street, city and state to find a qualified minority for an administrative position? Why? Because it simply is not a priority.

Minorities always have had to demand to be heard and be treated fairly. Until high-school and college student-athletes and their parents and others begin to hold institutions accountable for employing a diversified administrative staff, there will be no significant change.

Consider this scenario: A highly recruited minority student-athlete refuses to attend a Division I institution and states that the reason he or she did not consider that institution is that among its top athletics administrators there are no minorities. If this occurred on a consistent basis all over America, you would see a dramatic increase in the percentage of minorities on athletics staffs.

It is only a matter of time before minorities organize themselves and demand significant

change in intercollegiate administrative hiring practices.

However, the issue simply has not risen to the tenor where presidents and directors of athletics are compelled to hire minorities because it is the "right" thing to do. I submit, though, that even if those in hiring positions do not hire qualified minorities because it is the right thing to do, they should at least consider doing it because it makes good business sense.

Other questions come to mind as to why more minorities haven't been hired to more meaningful positions on campuses across the country. Is it because of race? Is it because people believe that minorities don't have the ability to be competent athletics administrators? Is it because presidents and athletics directors will not look beyond their "comfort zones" to hire qualified minorities?

Most minorities understand that it is as much of an injustice to hire a minority who is not qualified as it is to not have diversity on an athletics staff. But for people in hiring positions not to hire minorities because they are not open-minded enough to get to know minorities to the point where they feel comfortable and would hire them based on their qualifications is an even bigger injustice.

Historically black colleges and universities face diversity issues, too. When we have positions on our staffs to fill, we face the same process. At Hampton, we keep a list of qualified white candidates on file, and if we can't fill a position from that list, we contact our administrative colleagues from predominantly white schools for recommendations. It is a simple process.

Historically black colleges and universities also can be used as a resource for predominantly white schools trying to identify qualified minority candidates.

Here's a simple, three-part process to follow:

* Keep a list of qualified minority candidates on file;

* Call colleagues who are minorities and ask them for recommendations regarding qualified candidates whom they might know; and

* If you don't personally know a minority colleague you feel comfortable contacting, call historically black colleges and universities for help.

If you don't buy into recruiting from historically black colleges and universities, then use your own minority graduates. Identify, develop and mentor your own minority student-athletes and students for positions on your staff. Most teams have had minority student-athletes on them since the early 1970s, so there is a healthy pool of minority candidates from which to choose.

Presidents or athletics directors who fail to do any of the above fail the test of being sincerely committed to diversity.

Another key is to expand the pool of professions when searching for qualified personnel. Look not only in athletics, but also look into the business arena, public relations firms, medical professions, historically black colleges and universities and law firms. Be creative -- and be persistent.

And do not make the mistake of categorizing all minorities as not having the ability to do a job when one minority does not succeed in a position. Remember, there are white males and females who do not succeed in a given job, and all white males and females are not categorized as not having the ability to do the job. One should be judged on his or her own abilities and performances.

Though diversity seems to be a buzzword almost every year, the numbers still indicate that there has been no significant change. This issue has been analyzed enough -- the fact of the matter is that we are in a state of inertia.

Collectively, we must act now and maintain importunity until real and significant change has occurred.