National Collegiate Athletic Association

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The NCAA News -- June 21, 1999

Seminars to offer diversity education, training

The NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee and the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will sponsor three regional introductory diversity-education seminars this summer.

The committees also will sponsor three secondary seminars entitled: "Diversity Training Part 2: Train The Trainer."

The seminars are open to chief executive officers, directors of athletics, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives, commissioners and other athletics administrators at all NCAA member institutions. There are no fees to attend the seminar; however, participants are required to attend all sessions of the seminar.

The diversity-education seminars will be conducted on the following dates:

  • July 21-23 in Hilton Head, South Carolina

  • August 2-4 in Charleston, South Carolina

  • August 9-11 in San Diego

    The train-the-trainer seminars will be conducted on the following dates:

  • June 30-July 2 in Washington, D.C.

  • July 10-12 in Indianapolis

  • October 27-29 in New Orleans

    All six seminars are three-day events and will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. The NCAA will provide lunch each day and seminar materials. Participants must register and pay for their own transportation and hotel arrangements.

    The diversity-education seminars will provide participants with a foundation in all aspects of diversity. Participants will be introduced to the dynamics of organizational culture, and will analyze components of student-athletics culture that enhances organizational productivity.

    The train-the-trainer seminars will provide participants with the skills necessary to deliver the NCAA diversity-education seminar, which will result in the enhancement of the institution's overall effectiveness. General guidelines will be supplied to assist participants with developing facilitation, workshop presentation skills and much more. Individuals must have attended an NCAA diversity-education seminar before participating in a train-the-trainer session.

    "The purpose of these seminars is to develop plans to address some of the challenges faced on our campuses in relation to diversity -- not just in athletics per se, but on the entire campus," said Donnetta Moorman, NCAA director of professional development. "Usually, athletics and academics approach it separately. We want to encourage more of an integrated approach.

    "We're trying to give the membership programs that are easy to access. Managing diversity in the workplace involves examining the interaction between people of different cultural backgrounds and how to draw from these valuable differences to develop a productive team. The key emphasis here is on communication and team building, with special attention to learning how to relate to your student-athletes."

    Moorman also said that diversity training can help create a more efficient working environment and yield teams and employers a competitive edge.

    "The skills developed through this training are not only effective in the workplace, but can easily be translated on to our playing fields and courts," she said. "Increasing our awareness level allows us the opportunity to develop effective action plans that will enhance our productivity."

    Registration information has been distributed to member institutions, and also is available online via NCAA Online at: http://www.ncaa.org/edout/prof_dev/
    index.html.

    For additional information on the seminars, contact the NCAA professional development staff at 913/339-1906.