Spring Break
Kowalczyk seeks to increase diversity
Sean Star
Issue date: 2/27/09 Section: Sports
At an overwhelmingly homogenous university, it should come as no surprise there's a significant lack of diversity in the current head-coaching circle at CSU.
In fact, there's no diversity. Ten head coaches. Ten very similar looking faces.
Take a stroll through the offices of the McGraw Center and you'll find that the trend is very much the same.
But don't think for a second CSU's problem is a unique one.
Last week The Institute of Diversity and Ethics in Sport released its annual study on racial and gender hiring practices, and collegiate athletics didn't fare well. NCAA member institutions came in dead last in comparison to the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL and MLS with an overall grade of C+, according to the report.
"The primary problem regarding racial hiring practices is that whites still dominate key positions," said the report, authored by University of Central Florida doctor Richard Lapchick.
CSU Athletics Director Paul Kowalczyk says he is very aware of the problem, both nationally and here on campus.
"The only way that this is going to change is if people are truly committed to creating change," he said.
But is Kowalczyk, whose first three hires at CSU were all white, one of those committed to creating change?
There's clear evidence he is.
Back in November, Black Coaches and Administrators released a report grading the hiring practices of last year's head coaching vacancies - a position that notoriously lacks diversity.
CSU received an A for the process that eventually led to the hiring of Steve Fairchild.
But wait a second, how does a school get an A for hiring a white coach? CSU received the BCA's highest marks in three of the five observed categories -- diversity of the search committee, length of search and implementation of affirmative action hiring policies --, which led to the overall grade.
So Kowalczyk and his staff were rewarded for their effort and not necessarily the outcome. But don't judge the AD's affective commitment to diversity solely on his time at CSU.
In fact, there's no diversity. Ten head coaches. Ten very similar looking faces.
Take a stroll through the offices of the McGraw Center and you'll find that the trend is very much the same.
But don't think for a second CSU's problem is a unique one.
Last week The Institute of Diversity and Ethics in Sport released its annual study on racial and gender hiring practices, and collegiate athletics didn't fare well. NCAA member institutions came in dead last in comparison to the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL and MLS with an overall grade of C+, according to the report.
"The primary problem regarding racial hiring practices is that whites still dominate key positions," said the report, authored by University of Central Florida doctor Richard Lapchick.
CSU Athletics Director Paul Kowalczyk says he is very aware of the problem, both nationally and here on campus.
"The only way that this is going to change is if people are truly committed to creating change," he said.
But is Kowalczyk, whose first three hires at CSU were all white, one of those committed to creating change?
There's clear evidence he is.
Back in November, Black Coaches and Administrators released a report grading the hiring practices of last year's head coaching vacancies - a position that notoriously lacks diversity.
CSU received an A for the process that eventually led to the hiring of Steve Fairchild.
But wait a second, how does a school get an A for hiring a white coach? CSU received the BCA's highest marks in three of the five observed categories -- diversity of the search committee, length of search and implementation of affirmative action hiring policies --, which led to the overall grade.
So Kowalczyk and his staff were rewarded for their effort and not necessarily the outcome. But don't judge the AD's affective commitment to diversity solely on his time at CSU.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Peace Love
posted 3/01/09 @ 12:26 AM MST
I found this article derogatory of others on the basis of race and ethnicity.
It refers to persons by the color of their skin, instead of who they are, and promotes one color over another. (Continued…)
Post a Comment