REPORT OF THE
NCAA EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
GENDER AND DIVERSITY ISSUES
1. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.
a. Report on the NCAA Diversity Leadership
Strategic Planning Committee (DLSPC). Staff noted that the DLSPC is comprised of former university presidents,
conference commissioners, athletics directors, senior woman administrators,
student-athletes and executives from organizations connected to intercollegiate
athletics. Staff stated that Dr. Brand
charged the committee to identify strategies and recommendations that will:
?
foster
the diversity of student-athletes;
?
promote
a climate of inclusion within intercollegiate athletics;
?
enhance
equitable career opportunities for underrepresented coaches, officials and
administrators; and
?
strengthen
the support, integration and promotion of women?s sports within intercollegiate
athletics.
The DLSPC does not have power to implement
any programs, policy or legislation in these areas. Many of the issues identified by the DLSPC
will require additional data and analysis.
The DLSPC presented a draft copy of the recommendations to the subcommittee
for feedback as the DLSPC moves toward finalizing its recommendations. The DLSPC?s final report is scheduled to be
released at the 2007 NCAA Convention in
b. Native American Mascot Issue. The staff provided an update on the Native American Mascot Policy. Staff stated that the Executive Committee policy still applies to five institutions; five were granted exceptions to the policy; and eight institutions decided on their own accord to change their nicknames and/or remove imagery. The staff noted that one institution was placed on a watch list during which
time the
NCAA will work with the institution to assure that it continues to maintain an
environment that is not hostile or abusive and one that is consistent with the
NCAA constitution and commitment to diversity. Staff shared that the assessment
and application of the policy are the important pieces as this issue moves
forward. Staff informed the subcommittee
that the University of North Dakota filed suit in state court in
c. Male Practice Players. Staff provided an overview on male practice
players participating on women?s teams and noted how each division is handling
this issue. In April 2006, the NCAA
Committee on Women?s Athletics (CWA), which remains opposed to the use of male
practice players, referred the issue of male practice players to the Divisions
I, II and III governance structures.
Divisions I and II governance staffs are working with the research staff
to develop questions/survey that will be used to seek feedback on this issue
from the Divisions I and II membership.
The NCAA Division I Management Council also referred the request to review this issue to the NCAA
Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet. Staff noted that any
recommendation from the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet in
February 2007 would be forwarded to the Division I Management Council for
consideration at its April 2007 meeting.
The Division II governance staff is seeking feedback from the NCAA
Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the NCAA Division II
Championships Committee referred this issue to each of the sports committees to
gather feedback. The NCAA Division III
Management Council agreed to gather information on this issue at its April 2006
meeting from various membership constituents.
Based on this feedback, Division III Management Council recommended and
the Presidents Council approved sponsorship of legislation for the 2007
Convention to establish certain criteria for the use of male practice players
in Division III women?s sports.
The subcommittee discussed this issue in July
via teleconference. The subcommittee
discussed the competitive equity issues, as well as ensuring meaningful
participation opportunities form women in women?s sports. Several subcommittee members were aware of
male practice players participating at institutions and inquired about the
climate within the membership on this issue.
The chair of CWA stated that she has worked in all three divisions and
informed the subcommittee that male practice players are favored at some
institutions and at others it is not.
The subcommittee noted that since there is no clear consensus on this
issue and the subcommittee looks forward to feedback in Divisions I and II, as
well as reviewing the CWA white paper currently in development.
d. Race/Ethnicity/Gender
Demographics Report and the Membership Sports Sponsorship Report. Staff provided the subcommittee with an
update on a recommendation put forth by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and
Interests Committee (MOIC) to the Divisions I, II and III Management Council
which will combine the Membership Sports Sponsorship Report with the Research
Race and Ethnicity Report. The goal of
the proposal is to increase efficiency by combining two data collection
efforts. Furthermore, the membership
report is mandatory and that the Race, Ethnicity and Gender Demographics Report
is voluntary, thus, combining the two would increase the response rate and provide
real time data to staff. The MOIC
unanimously approved the recommendation.
Several details concerning the merger of the two reports are still being
reviewed by the NCAA research staff, membership services and general
counsel. In October 2006, Division I
Management Council approved this recommendation in concept with the knowledge
that the details of the merger is a work in progress.
e. Transgender
Policy Discussion. The staff informed
the subcommittee that the national office has established a Transgender Policy
Discussion Group comprised of staff members from education services, membership
services, diversity and inclusion, branding and communications and
championships. This group is working to
develop educational information for the membership and draft policies for
review by the CWA and the Committee on Safeguards, as well as working with
institutions to determine how these issues are being handled throughout the
membership in an effort to determine if the Association needs to develop a
policy on transgender student-athletes. Models
under review are currently in place at U.S Track and Field and the USOC. There are two broad issues related to
athletics: (1) balancing a concern for
creating a nondiscriminatory policy that addresses the needs of transgender
student-athletes who want to compete, and (2) addressing competitive equity
issues within the team and the sport.
Currently, the NCAA allows transgender student-athletes to compete, but
does not keep statistics on the number of transgender student-athletes who are
involved in NCAA competition. The membership services staff recommends that
institutions use the gender classification of the student-athletes? state
identification documents such as driver?s licenses and voter registration.
f. Meeting Schedule Discussion. President
McPhee noted that the subcommittee has a lot of work ahead and solicited input
from members of the subcommittee as to best time to schedule future
meeting. President McPhee stated that
the NCAA Division I Board of Directors looks to this subcommittee for advice
and guidance on issues that impact the entire Association. The subcommittee inquired about scheduling
these meetings at a time that does not conflict with other meetings and
preferably earlier in the afternoon.
Staff suggested that President McPhee discuss this matter with senior
vice president for governance, membership services and research.
g. CWA Report. The
chair of the CWA reviewed the latest report from the CWA. In addition, the chair of the CWA provided an
article discussing a member institution?s public stance of blaming Title IX for
its decision to eliminate several sports.
The chair reiterated CWA?s position that decisions to cut athletics
teams are the result of institutional financial decisions, not Title IX
compliance. CWA noted that they will be
working with the DLSPC on gender equity, scholarship and financial aid issues
and other issues being discussed by the DLSPC.
The chair of CWA also noted that the CWA and MOIC requested the NCAA Division
I Governance Subcommittee and Management Council reconsider their preliminary
position on diversity requirements within the proposed restructuring of the
Division I governance structure.
Specifically, the CWA and MOIC noted that the Division I Governance
Subcommittee?s preliminary position that ?the diversity requirements be amended
to apply in the aggregate across the council and cabinet levels rather than
applied to each independently? endangers the significant progress that has been
made in diversifying the Division I governance structure. Staff noted that the CWA and MOIC?s concerns
are valid, but may be premature since the Division I Governance Subcommittee
work is in the preliminary stages. The
Division I Governance Subcommittee?s next meeting is in November followed by a
follow-up meeting in January and a more formal proposal will be presented to
the conferences in the spring. The CWA,
MOIC and the staff will continue to update the Executive Committee Subcommittee
on Gender and Diversity Issues on this issue.
h. MOIC Report. Staff provided a review of the latest MOIC
report. Staff noted that the MOIC
reviewed some of the challenges facing the Association with regards to
diversity and inclusion with Richard Lapchick, director for the Institute for
Diversity and Ethics in Sport. The MOIC
also received an update from the NCAA membership services staff regarding the
academic performance rate (APR) with a special emphasis on Historically Black
Colleges and Universities (HBCU). The
MOIC questioned the efforts made to educate and create awareness about the
effects of APR on HBCUs and whether the Association understands the specialized
mission of HBCUs. Staff provided the
MOIC with an overview of NCAA initiatives to promote gender and racial/ethnic
diversity in intercollegiate athletics. The MOIC noted that this information
should be disseminated to various constituencies within the membership. The MOIC reviewed its mission statement and
strategic plan, as well as discussed ways to increase its partnership with the diversity
and inclusion office. The MOIC received
a presentation from the NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification liaisons with
regard to NCAA Operating Principle No. 3.2- Minority Issues. The MOIC discussed ways to hold institutions more accountable in their efforts
to comply with the operating principle and talked about proposed revisions to
the second and third cycle of the institutional self-study instrument. The MOIC noted that it might be
helpful to include statistics in the
self-study guide as a way to engage the campus community with the material
being shared. The committee questioned
whether there was adequate diverse representation in the pool of peer reviewers
and discussed ways to solicit members.
i. Other business. Subcommittee
acknowledged the service of Kathryn Martin, Rose Tseng and James Lyons Sr., all
of whom provided excellent service and leadership to this subcommittee. President McPhee expressed the
subcommittee?s support for former Pres. Bristow?s leadership and dedicated a
moment of silence in former President Bristow?s honor.