INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA and the Black Women in Sport Foundation (BWSF) are hosting a symposium called “Women of Color: Recruit, Retain, Results,” that will focus on determining priorities, strategies and actions to effectively and efficiently address issues relating to women of color in intercollegiate athletics.

The symposium is scheduled for today and Friday (May 7-8) in Indianapolis at the NCAA national office.

Board members from the BWSF and coaches and athletics administrators at Division I, II and III NCAA colleges and universities and athletics conferences will participate in the discussion.  In addition to identifying strategies that address issues for women of color in athletics, the group will also identify the appropriate and viable organizations, institutions and/or associations that may implement strategies for change and create and/or monitor dashboard indicators of success.   The group will specifically look at four impact areas within coaching and athletics administration as they relate to women of color:

•         Recruitment

•         Hiring practices

•         Professional Development

•         Retention/The Pipeline

The symposium begins with a presentation from Dr. Sharon Yee, coordinator of graduate programs in the College of Design at Arizona State University, called “Bridging the Gap: Impacting the Ranks of Senior Athletics Administrator Positions.”   Yee has conducted research in the area of diversity issues in an effort to achieve social justice in higher education at both the student and administrator level.   Participants will engage in a question and answer session after the presentation focusing on the four impact areas as it relates to Yee’s presentation.

There will also be breakout discussions that focus on each of the four impact areas addressing best practices at colleges and universities; identification of measurable recommendations and tasks; selection of timelines for tasks; identification of organizations that may be able to facilitate the tasks; and exploration of possible responsibilities of the identified organizations. 

The recommendations will be presented to the BWSF and the NCAA, who will then review the data collectively after the symposium, and then determine next steps in advancing the proposed recommendations.

Symposium participants include:

Sharon Beverly, director of athletics, Vassar College

Sharon Clark, head women’s volleyball coach, Butler University

Deitre Collins-Parker, head women’s volleyball coach San Diego State

Lori Ebihara, assistant commissioner, Big 12 Conference

Nikki Franke, professor/head women’s fencing coach, Temple University/Black Women in Sports Foundation

Linda Greene, professor, University of Wisconsin/Black Women in Sports Foundation

Carolayne Henry, associate commissioner/senior woman administrator, Mountain West Conference

Michael Horsey, accountant, Black Women in Sports Foundation

Beverly Kearney, head women’s track & field coach, University of Texas

Cassandra Jones, president/CEO of Next Step Associates, Black Women in Sports Foundation

Monique Morgan, associate commissioner, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association

Gloria Nevarez, associate athletics director, University of Oklahoma

Carol Owens, head women’s basketball coach, Northern Illinois University

Tina Sloane Green, professor, Temple University; president of the Black Women in Sports Foundation

Lynnore Thames, rights and clearance manager, ABC News/Black Women in Sports Foundation

Dee Todd, professor, North Carolina A&T University

Sheila Ward, professor, Norfolk State University/Black Women in Sports Foundation

Miechelle Willis, senior associate athletics director, Ohio State University

Sharon Yee, College of Design coordinator of graduate programs, Arizona State University

Felicia Hall Allen, a former NCAA student-athlete and president/CEO of Felicia Hall Allen and Associates, will facilitate the symposium.   Symposium participants were selected by the BWSF and the NCAA.  Criteria included experience in coaching and athletics administration, participation in past discussions on the issues, responsibilities at their respective colleges, universities and athletics conferences, and familiarity with the topics and issues related to coaching and athletics administration of women of color.