MAC announces new diversity, inclusion program for fall 2017
In an effort to increase the acceleration and growth of minority candidates for collegiate job opportunities, the Mid-American Conference announced last week its new diversity and inclusion program, which will begin next fall.
The program is designed to provide educational career opportunities for a diverse pool of candidates, career entry and advancement opportunities, best hiring practices and career mentoring programs.
“I am pleased to see our membership take a leadership position and embrace an action plan in the area of diversity and inclusion," said MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher. "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.”
In fall 2015, Steinbrecher instituted a 15-member group comprised of university administrators, senior athletic administrators and faculty athletic representatives to present to MAC membership recommendations for the comprehensive program.
Bernard Franklin, executive vice president of education and community engagement for the NCAA said he was pleased the MAC and NCAA could come together to support the new program.
“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," he said. "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.”
The MAC Diversity and Inclusion program includes six initiatives:
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 MAC will provide or enable programming, education and outreach which sustains foundations of a diverse and inclusive culture across dimensions of diversity.
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:
The MAC will create a webpage 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.
