STrib: U: where sports leaders and coaches all are white, looks to revive diversity

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus:

The University of Minnesota put its top athletic department leaders on a bus earlier this summer, sending them on their annual trip around the state to rev up fan interest among the Gopher faithful.

Those passengers, including men and women head coaches of their 23 teams, shared one thing in common: They were all white.

The U, once a leader in athletic department diversity, now trails most of its peers. A Star Tribune analysis of senior athletics leadership, including the athletic director, senior assistant ADs and head coaches, at the 14 schools that make up the Big Ten found Minnesota tied for last with Nebraska, Wisconsin and Michigan State in number of minorities in those positions: one each.

Almost a quarter of the U’s student athletes are nonwhite, and in big money sports like men’s basketball and football, the ratio of minority athletes is even higher. It’s been four years since the U had a minority head coach, and more than a decade since it last hired one. The last time a person of color served as Minnesota’s athletic director or deputy athletic director was 18 years ago.

Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle told the Star Tribune diversity is a priority in hiring, and that he wants his leaders to learn from the communication issues of this past year.

“When student-athletes walk our hallways, when they’re in our academic center, when they’re in our development and administration area, do we have diversity that they can see?” Coyle said. “Those are things we’ll always focus on and always put an emphasis on moving forward.”

http://m.startribune.com/university...versity-after-tense-year/436049783/?section=/

Go Gophers!!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

per Marcus:

The University of Minnesota put its top athletic department leaders on a bus earlier this summer, sending them on their annual trip around the state to rev up fan interest among the Gopher faithful.

Those passengers, including men and women head coaches of their 23 teams, shared one thing in common: They were all white.

The U, once a leader in athletic department diversity, now trails most of its peers. A Star Tribune analysis of senior athletics leadership, including the athletic director, senior assistant ADs and head coaches, at the 14 schools that make up the Big Ten found Minnesota tied for last with Nebraska, Wisconsin and Michigan State in number of minorities in those positions: one each.

Almost a quarter of the U’s student athletes are nonwhite, and in big money sports like men’s basketball and football, the ratio of minority athletes is even higher. It’s been four years since the U had a minority head coach, and more than a decade since it last hired one. The last time a person of color served as Minnesota’s athletic director or deputy athletic director was 18 years ago.

Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle told the Star Tribune diversity is a priority in hiring, and that he wants his leaders to learn from the communication issues of this past year.

“When student-athletes walk our hallways, when they’re in our academic center, when they’re in our development and administration area, do we have diversity that they can see?” Coyle said. “Those are things we’ll always focus on and always put an emphasis on moving forward.”

http://m.startribune.com/university...versity-after-tense-year/436049783/?section=/

Go Gophers!!

It should be about hiring the best candidate for the job, regardless of their racial demographic. Stating that 25% of the student athletes are non-white shouldn't play into the equation. Just like stating that over 85% of the total population in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nebraska are white and that should have a bearing. It doesn't matter just hire the best person for the job regardless of their color.

 

[DLguy]

Men's basketball for the past 30 years has had 4 coaches hired. Clem Haskins, Dan Monson, Tubby Smith, and Richard Pitino. 2 of the 4 are black. The current one just happens to be white, which does not go with the direction of this article. But dont forget the U's top choice in the last hiring was Shaka Smart. So it could have been 3 of 4. So now the U is at fault because their first choice turned them down?

I also remember Charlie Strong being a top candidate during the football search that got us Kill, but he turned down the U. Again, is that the U's fault he turned them down?

 

[BleedGopher]

Men's basketball for the past 30 years has had 4 coaches hired. Clem Haskins, Dan Monson, Tubby Smith, and Richard Pitino. 2 of the 4 are black. The current one just happens to be white, which does not go with the direction of this article. But dont forget the U's top choice in the last hiring was Shaka Smart. So it could have been 3 of 4. So now the U is at fault because their first choice turned them down?

I also remember Charlie Strong being a top candidate during the football search that got us Kill, but he turned down the U. Again, is that the U's fault he turned them down?

I think your timing is off on Strong. Strong interviewed for the job after Mason was fired, when Strong was at Florida. He wanted the job, but we hired Brewster essentially while Strong was still on campus and Strong felt used in the process.

We never had a shot at Strong when Kill was hired as Strong was already at Louisville.

Go Gophers!!

 

[oleboy41]

It should be about hiring the best candidate for the job, regardless of their racial demographic. Stating that 25% of the student athletes are non-white shouldn't play into the equation. Just like stating that over 85% of the total population in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nebraska are white and that should have a bearing. It doesn't matter just hire the best person for the job regardless of their color.

Where have you seen anyone suggesting they don't want that? Funny how some people always immediately start talking about unqualified prospects the moment someone brings up a lack of diversity

 

[Former Goofer]

per Marcus:

The University of Minnesota put its top athletic department leaders on a bus earlier this summer, sending them on their annual trip around the state to rev up fan interest among the Gopher faithful.

Those passengers, including men and women head coaches of their 23 teams, shared one thing in common: They were all white.

The U, once a leader in athletic department diversity, now trails most of its peers. A Star Tribune analysis of senior athletics leadership, including the athletic director, senior assistant ADs and head coaches, at the 14 schools that make up the Big Ten found Minnesota tied for last with Nebraska, Wisconsin and Michigan State in number of minorities in those positions: one each.

Almost a quarter of the U’s student athletes are nonwhite, and in big money sports like men’s basketball and football, the ratio of minority athletes is even higher. It’s been four years since the U had a minority head coach, and more than a decade since it last hired one. The last time a person of color served as Minnesota’s athletic director or deputy athletic director was 18 years ago.

Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle told the Star Tribune diversity is a priority in hiring, and that he wants his leaders to learn from the communication issues of this past year.

“When student-athletes walk our hallways, when they’re in our academic center, when they’re in our development and administration area, do we have diversity that they can see?” Coyle said. “Those are things we’ll always focus on and always put an emphasis on moving forward.”

http://m.startribune.com/university...versity-after-tense-year/436049783/?section=/

Go Gophers!!

Yawn

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Where have you seen anyone suggesting they don't want that? Funny how some people always immediately start talking about unqualified prospects the moment someone brings up a lack of diversity

you obviously don't get it.

 

[graydon]

per Marcus:

Minnesota tied for last with Nebraska, Wisconsin and Michigan State in number of minorities in those positions: one each.

A

Hey, look on the bright side. At least Bucky is not beating us at diversity!

 

[BleedGopher]

per Sid:

• Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle was asked for his reaction to a recent Star Tribune story about the lack of diversity on his athletics staff. “There’s no question that we can do a better job,” he said. “I’m very proud. When we look at diversity, we look at it as whether it be male, female, African-American, Caucasian, etc., and we can always improve on that. We have six minorities on our senior staff with women and African-American males. We try to focus on that because I think it’s important for our student-athletes that they have mentors and people they can see when they interact with our department and people they can look up to. I think that’s something we’ll always focus on and try to improve on.”

http://www.startribune.com/danielle-hunter-figures-to-bein-line-for-vikings-payday/438758623/#1

Go Gophers!!