Eastern Michigan Athletics
MAC Announces Diversity & Inclusion Program to Begin in 2017
11/2/2016 1:00:00 PM | General, SASS, Engagement
An expansive diversity & inclusion program within Division I intercollegiate athletics
CLEVELAND, Ohio (MAC-Sports.com) – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today one of the most comprehensive Diversity & Inclusion Programs in Division I intercollegiate athletics. This program received unanimous approval by the MAC Council of Presidents after receiving a recommendation from the Council of Directors of Athletics following the recent Fall meetings.
The MAC Diversity & Inclusion Program, which will begin in the Fall of 2017, will position the MAC as a leader in the acceleration and growth of the pool of minority candidates for collegiate job opportunities in coaching and administration with six specific and coordinated program initiatives.
The six initiatives include: a Conference Diversity & Inclusion Statement, 25 new annual internships, a mentoring program, a bi-annual summit, a resource webpage and an annual awards platform.
This program will provide career educational opportunities for a diverse pool of candidates, career entry and advancement opportunities, consistent support and career mentoring programs for all levels of professionals, and opportunities for collaboration on best hiring practices and cultural enhancements for member institutions.
In the Fall of 2015, MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher instituted a 15-member working group comprised of university administrators, senior athletic administrators and faculty athletic representatives to present to MAC membership recommendations for a comprehensive diversity & inclusion program.
Steinbrecher charged the working group with: "Taking a solution-oriented leadership role in accelerating and growing the pool of minority candidates for collegiate job opportunities in coaching and administration."
MAC Diversity & Inclusion Program Initiatives (6):
1. MAC official statement on Diversity & Inclusion:
As a core value, the Mid-American Conference believes in and is committed to diversity, inclusion and gender equity among its student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators. We seek to establish and maintain an inclusive culture that fosters equitable participation for student-athletes and career opportunities for coaches and administrators from diverse backgrounds. Diversity and inclusion improve the learning environment for all student-athletes and enhance excellence within the Conference.
The Mid-American Conference will provide or enable programming, education and outreach which sustains foundations of a diverse and inclusive culture across dimensions of diversity including but not limited to age, race, sex, class, national origin, creed, educational background, disability, gender expression, gender identity, geographical location, income, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation and work experiences.
2. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Internships
The MAC and its member institutions will provide 25 annual internships, which will include two internships each year on each MAC campus and one within the Conference office. These internships will provide new career entry opportunities to a diverse group of students interested in pursuing a career within collegiate athletics.
3. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Mentoring Program
The MAC Diversity & Inclusion Mentoring Program will pair athletic department senior staff members or department head as mentors with younger administrators as mentees. The mentors and mentees will engage in academic year-long programming, which will include regular scheduled meetings, monthly conference calls with all Conference mentors and mentees, along with attendance at the annual MAC Spring Joint Meetings in Cleveland.
4. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Summit
The MAC will institute a bi-annual Summit, which will begin in the fall of 2017, centered on the issues of diversity and inclusion. The MAC will partner with the NCAA
Office of Inclusion, led by Dr. Bernard Franklin, in an effort to provide the following:
• Educate a diverse group of MAC students, interns, graduate assistants on career opportunities in collegiate athletics.
• Train and educate a diverse group of MAC assistant coaches and administrators on advancement opportunities in collegiate athletics.
• Share best hiring practices with MAC head coaches and senior administrators relative to diversity and inclusion efforts.
• Share best hiring practices with campus human resources and diversity officers.
• Educate institutions on creating a campus culture of diversity.
5. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Webpage
The MAC will create a webpage, which will be housed within www.mac-sports.com, dedicated to the issue of diversity and inclusion to serve as a resource for students, coaches and administrators. This webpage will include a career resource guide, listing of MAC, NCAA and national programs and opportunities, intra-conference job sharing, resume posting and messaging and links to other institutional diversity & inclusion websites.
6. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Awards Platform
Each year the MAC will present an awards platform to recognize outstanding achievements in diversity & inclusion within the Conference. The MAC will recognize one institutional athletic department, individual administrator and student-athlete.
Quotes from MAC Commissioner, Presidents and Directors of Athletics:
Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, Mid-American Conference Commissioner:
"I am pleased to see our membership take a leadership position and embrace an action plan in the area of diversity and inclusion. This plan is a starting point, developed through intensive study and debate over the past year and a half. Our membership believes this will be a framework for growing a more diverse work force, in both coaching and administration, in intercollegiate athletics. This is the appropriate goal and one which will foster a more inclusive environment."
Dr. Bernard Franklin, Executive Vice President of Education and Community Engagement, NCAA:
"It's a great day when we see inclusive initiatives being embraced in the membership, and I applaud the Mid-American Conference presidents and athletics administrators on their new program that supports diversity and inclusion. The NCAA inclusion office is pleased to partner with the MAC and offer support. The MAC's direction with this new venture highlights its intention to be a progressive body that embraces diverse audiences, which includes current and prospective student-athletes and staff."
Dr. John M. Dunn, President, Western Michigan University:
"I am very proud that the Mid-American Conference values diversity and is committed to enhancing opportunities for underrepresented populations. An effort of this nature is critical to the success of sport and the betterment of society."
Dr. Roderick J. McDavis, President, Ohio University:
"Our nation is changing and it is imperative that our colleges and universities reflect this shift in diversity. We need to prepare our students for the real world – a diverse world – and that preparation must come from a diverse group of educators and staff. I applaud the recent actions taken by the Mid-American Conference to increase diversity and improve inclusion at our institutions."
Sean T. Frazier, Director of Athletics, Northern Illinois University:
"I am extremely proud of our Council of Presidents and the Mid-American Conference staff for again taking a major leadership role to support Diversity & Inclusion by implementing this new diversity initiative. In the MAC, it is clear that leadership, academics, athletics and respect for all involved is a consistent way of operation."
The MAC Diversity & Inclusion Program, which will begin in the Fall of 2017, will position the MAC as a leader in the acceleration and growth of the pool of minority candidates for collegiate job opportunities in coaching and administration with six specific and coordinated program initiatives.
The six initiatives include: a Conference Diversity & Inclusion Statement, 25 new annual internships, a mentoring program, a bi-annual summit, a resource webpage and an annual awards platform.
This program will provide career educational opportunities for a diverse pool of candidates, career entry and advancement opportunities, consistent support and career mentoring programs for all levels of professionals, and opportunities for collaboration on best hiring practices and cultural enhancements for member institutions.
In the Fall of 2015, MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher instituted a 15-member working group comprised of university administrators, senior athletic administrators and faculty athletic representatives to present to MAC membership recommendations for a comprehensive diversity & inclusion program.
Steinbrecher charged the working group with: "Taking a solution-oriented leadership role in accelerating and growing the pool of minority candidates for collegiate job opportunities in coaching and administration."
MAC Diversity & Inclusion Program Initiatives (6):
1. MAC official statement on Diversity & Inclusion:
As a core value, the Mid-American Conference believes in and is committed to diversity, inclusion and gender equity among its student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators. We seek to establish and maintain an inclusive culture that fosters equitable participation for student-athletes and career opportunities for coaches and administrators from diverse backgrounds. Diversity and inclusion improve the learning environment for all student-athletes and enhance excellence within the Conference.
The Mid-American Conference will provide or enable programming, education and outreach which sustains foundations of a diverse and inclusive culture across dimensions of diversity including but not limited to age, race, sex, class, national origin, creed, educational background, disability, gender expression, gender identity, geographical location, income, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation and work experiences.
2. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Internships
The MAC and its member institutions will provide 25 annual internships, which will include two internships each year on each MAC campus and one within the Conference office. These internships will provide new career entry opportunities to a diverse group of students interested in pursuing a career within collegiate athletics.
3. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Mentoring Program
The MAC Diversity & Inclusion Mentoring Program will pair athletic department senior staff members or department head as mentors with younger administrators as mentees. The mentors and mentees will engage in academic year-long programming, which will include regular scheduled meetings, monthly conference calls with all Conference mentors and mentees, along with attendance at the annual MAC Spring Joint Meetings in Cleveland.
4. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Summit
The MAC will institute a bi-annual Summit, which will begin in the fall of 2017, centered on the issues of diversity and inclusion. The MAC will partner with the NCAA
Office of Inclusion, led by Dr. Bernard Franklin, in an effort to provide the following:
• Educate a diverse group of MAC students, interns, graduate assistants on career opportunities in collegiate athletics.
• Train and educate a diverse group of MAC assistant coaches and administrators on advancement opportunities in collegiate athletics.
• Share best hiring practices with MAC head coaches and senior administrators relative to diversity and inclusion efforts.
• Share best hiring practices with campus human resources and diversity officers.
• Educate institutions on creating a campus culture of diversity.
5. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Webpage
The MAC will create a webpage, which will be housed within www.mac-sports.com, dedicated to the issue of diversity and inclusion to serve as a resource for students, coaches and administrators. This webpage will include a career resource guide, listing of MAC, NCAA and national programs and opportunities, intra-conference job sharing, resume posting and messaging and links to other institutional diversity & inclusion websites.
6. MAC Diversity & Inclusion Awards Platform
Each year the MAC will present an awards platform to recognize outstanding achievements in diversity & inclusion within the Conference. The MAC will recognize one institutional athletic department, individual administrator and student-athlete.
Quotes from MAC Commissioner, Presidents and Directors of Athletics:
Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, Mid-American Conference Commissioner:
"I am pleased to see our membership take a leadership position and embrace an action plan in the area of diversity and inclusion. This plan is a starting point, developed through intensive study and debate over the past year and a half. Our membership believes this will be a framework for growing a more diverse work force, in both coaching and administration, in intercollegiate athletics. This is the appropriate goal and one which will foster a more inclusive environment."
Dr. Bernard Franklin, Executive Vice President of Education and Community Engagement, NCAA:
"It's a great day when we see inclusive initiatives being embraced in the membership, and I applaud the Mid-American Conference presidents and athletics administrators on their new program that supports diversity and inclusion. The NCAA inclusion office is pleased to partner with the MAC and offer support. The MAC's direction with this new venture highlights its intention to be a progressive body that embraces diverse audiences, which includes current and prospective student-athletes and staff."
Dr. John M. Dunn, President, Western Michigan University:
"I am very proud that the Mid-American Conference values diversity and is committed to enhancing opportunities for underrepresented populations. An effort of this nature is critical to the success of sport and the betterment of society."
Dr. Roderick J. McDavis, President, Ohio University:
"Our nation is changing and it is imperative that our colleges and universities reflect this shift in diversity. We need to prepare our students for the real world – a diverse world – and that preparation must come from a diverse group of educators and staff. I applaud the recent actions taken by the Mid-American Conference to increase diversity and improve inclusion at our institutions."
Sean T. Frazier, Director of Athletics, Northern Illinois University:
"I am extremely proud of our Council of Presidents and the Mid-American Conference staff for again taking a major leadership role to support Diversity & Inclusion by implementing this new diversity initiative. In the MAC, it is clear that leadership, academics, athletics and respect for all involved is a consistent way of operation."
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