The NCAA’s promise to improve diversity and inclusion in college sports is called the Pledge and Commitment to Promoting Diversity and Gender Equity in Intercollegiate Athletics. Created by the NCAA Board of Governors in 2016, the pledge encourages presidents, chancellors and conference commissioners to commit to achieving ethnic and racial diversity and gender equity in college sports hiring practices.
Signing the pledge, of course, doesn’t get the job done. The colleges, universities and athletics conferences recognized for their accomplishments on the diversity and inclusion front report their success didn’t begin with a significant hire or a diversified pool of job candidates. Instead, they started with something even bigger: robust conversations about how to incorporate inclusion into their institutions’ culture. Honest discussions about how their campus confronts issues surrounding race and sexuality. Comprehensive blueprints for inclusion that are baked into an athletics department’s strategy — and marry with the college or university’s approach.
“Committing to inclusion starts with examining your institution’s culture and thinking about whether you have an environment where anyone would feel welcomed and valued,” says Katrice Albert, NCAA executive vice president of inclusion and human resources. “Putting the culture piece front and center makes the most lasting impact.”
