ADVANCING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN UNIVERSITY

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS

By

Earl Bryan Bennett

A dissertation submitted to the Department of Higher Education Leadership & Policy

Studies,
University of Houston

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy
in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies

Chair of Committee: Dr. Lyle McKinney

Committee Member: Dr. Tiffany Davis

Committee Member: Dr. Billy Hawkins

Committee Member: Dr. Ana Christina da Silva [Iddings]

University of Houston
December 2022

i
 Acknowledgments

TO GOD BE THE GLORY! Jesus, I thank you for providing knowledge,

wisdom, determination, and resiliency throughout this process. I am grateful for

your grace and mercy. Thank you for being my guiding light and strength when I

was weak. Your love is sufficient. An African American kid that grew up in

poverty dreaming of becoming a doctor has finally actualized it, and I know that I

could not have done it without the strength of the Lord. Amen!

To my wife, Rekeshia Bennett, thank you for your sacrifice, patience,

diligence, hard work, encouragement, and motivation. You are always there to

help pick me up when I am exhausted and need some positivity. For that, I am

forever indebted to your unconditional love and the boost you provided as I

started this journey.

To my mother, Sarah Bennett, thank you for laying the foundation on the

importance of education, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, relentlessness, and work ethic.

For that, I am forever grateful for the characteristics and traits I picked up from your

teaching and modeling.

To my siblings, Joslyn Louis, Prentice, Tiffany and Grant Bennett, thank you for

keeping me on the right path. As a kid, I always wanted to push the envelope as an

athlete, and you all were great role models for me. Thank you all for the added pressure

to be more than an athlete and pursue goals opposite of sports. In the words of Malcolm

X: “You can always chase a dream, but it will not count if you never catch it.”

To my committee, Dr. Lyle McKinney, Dr. Tiffany Davis, Dr. Ana Christina da

Silva Iddings, and Dr. Billy Hawkins, what a privilege it has been to be surrounded by

ii
great leaders in higher education. Thank you for your time, patience, knowledge, energy,

and diligence on this journey. There is always a semblance of biases within work,

however, I think this group of educators are rock stars and changing the landscape of

higher education. There is a high level of veneration for each committee member, and I

am grateful for you all.

To my mentors Dr. Charles Jenkins, Lance Brown, David Williams, Dr. Candice

Lee, Dr. Gilman Whiting, Ray Anderson, Dr. Andrea Capizzi, Dr. Donna Ford, Dr.

Rebecca Johnson, Kevin Monroe, Taylor Nowell, John Mangum, Coach Reginald

McGary, Coach Jim Holifield, Coach Jimmy Tyus, Coach Charlie Fisher, Coach Robbie

Caldwell, Coach Bobby Johnson, Coach Lovie Smith, Coach Darryl Drake, Coach Marc

Trestman, Doug Hendrickson and CJ Laboy, I am appreciative for the knowledge,

guidance and wisdom shared throughout my life and this process. I am forever thankful

for everyone’s mentorship.

To my cohort and peers, thank you for the wealth of knowledge and friendship.

Though the last few years were disrupted by the pandemic, I am grateful for the time and

bond that we have created. Here’s to everyone, as I know that you all will find the

strength to make it through this program.

Lastly, as a society, may we continue our pursuit to advance diversity, equity, and

inclusion in all facets of life. The goal is never to meet the standards but to exceed

expectations.

iii
 Abstract

Background: The advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within college

athletic departments has not coincided with the broader progression and expansion of

DEI efforts across higher education more broadly (Doherty et al., 2010; McGinniss et al.,

2020; Schroeder, 2010). Yet, empirical evidence shows that advancing DEI within

college athletic departments is essential to creating a healthy and thriving organizational

culture (Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999; Mowday, 1979; Spaaij et al., 2018) that improves

success for athletic departments and student athletes (Bopp, 2014). Purpose and

Research Questions: The purpose of this study was to examine the organizational

culture of Northeast Research University (a pseudonym) (NRU), which achieved national

recognition and a standard of excellence for DEI from the National Collegiate Athletic

Association (NCAA). The study answered the following research questions: (1) What

steps did this athletic department take to improve DEI? (2) What role did executive

leadership and mid-level employees play in the advancement of DEI within this athletic

department? In answering these questions, the goal was to provide recommendations and

specific action steps that other university athletic departments can follow to advance DEI.

Methods: This qualitative study used a single-site case study research design and was

guided by Schroeder’s (2010) conceptual framework of intercollegiate athletic

departments, as well prior research on interculturalism (Giannakoulias, 2020; Zapatao-

Barrero, 2017). The context for the study was the athletic department at NRU, a research-

intensive university located in an urban area in the Northeastern United States. Using

purposeful sampling, nine administrators (executive- and mid-level) within NRU’s

athletic department were interviewed to develop a deeper understanding of the strategies

iv
and initiatives the department used to advance DEI. Data collection included one-on-one

interviews and the interview data was supplemented by document analysis (e.g., criteria

for the NCAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion (2021a); NRU’s athletic department

webpages). The data were analyzed using thematic analysis methods (Bowen, 2009).

Findings: The lived experiences of employees within NRU’s athletic department shaped

their views on the extent to which the department had successfully and meaningfully

advanced DEI. Data analysis resulted in four major themes: (1) Translating DEI Rhetoric

into Reality, (2) Eradicating Silos, (3) Communicating the DEI Vision, and (4)

Leveraging DEI Momentum to Create Meaningful Change. The findings highlight why

advancing DEI is critically important within university athletics, and identify specific

steps these departments can take to improve their overall organizational culture.

Conclusion: Although athletic departments are formally situated within the broader

university structure, in reality, many remain disconnected from DEI efforts and initiatives

happening across campus. The findings from the data analysis are used as the basis for

recommendations in three key areas: staff recruitment and hiring, preparing the next

generation of athletic administrators, and broadening participation and representation in

DEI initiatives. Ultimately, the findings and recommendations from this study are

intended to provide a roadmap that athletic departments across the country can use to

meaningfully advance DEI.

Keywords: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Athletics, Leadership, Organizational

Development

v
 Table of Contents
Chapter Page
I. Introduction ........................................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem .............................................................................3
Purpose of the Study and Research Questions .............................................6
Significance of the Study .............................................................................8
Organization of Dissertation Study ............................................................10
II. Literature Review ............................................................................................11
College Athletics and Institutional Culture................................................11
The Culture of College Athletics ...............................................................11
Organizational Culture ...............................................................................15
Organizational Effectiveness .....................................................................20
Leadership ..................................................................................................21
Commitment to DEI ...................................................................................27
Conceptual Framework ..............................................................................30
III. Research Design and Methodology ...............................................................37
Institutional Context...................................................................................37
Participant Selection ..................................................................................38
Data Collection ..........................................................................................39
Data Analysis .............................................................................................40
Trustworthiness in Qualitative Research ...................................................42
Limitations .................................................................................................43
IV. Findings............................................................................................................46
Translating DEI Rhetoric into Reality .......................................................46
Eradicating Silos ........................................................................................50
Communicating the DEI Vision.................................................................52
Leveraging DEI Momentum to Create Meaningful Change......................54
V. Discussion and Implications ............................................................................59
Recommendations for University Athletic Departments ...........................64
Recruitment and Hiring..............................................................................65
Preparing the Next Generation of Athletic Administrators .......................67
Broadening Participation and Representation in DEI Initiatives ...............69

vi
 Directions for Future Research ..................................................................74
Conclusion .................................................................................................75
References ..........................................................................................................................76
Appendix A: Interview Protocol ........................................................................................97
Appendix B: Sports Within NRU’s Athletic Department..................................................98
Appendix C: Functional Areas and Support Services Within NRU’s Athletic Department
............................................................................................................................................99
Appendix D: IRB Approvals…………………………………………………………...100

vii
 1

Chapter I

Introduction

Over the past few years, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have been a prime

focus within higher education (Barnett, 2020; Hoffman & Mitchell, 2016; Suresh, 2020).

Higher education institutions have received significant attention as they work to adopt

different ways to foster the importance of race, culture, sexuality, and ethnicity (Vesely et

al., 2021). Higher education embracing differences and creating change on campus points

to the overarching importance of equity, equal access, and social and upward mobility

(Barnett, 2020; Hoffman & Mitchell, 2016; Tienda, 2013). Some changes on campuses

are attributed to the shift of the social landscape to accept and appreciate minoritized

intersections and differences that strengthen institutions, improve performance, and are

morally and ethically proper (Fuentes et al., 2021; Hanson & Renguette, 2020; Tienda,

2013). The timing of these changes in higher education is necessary for the advancement

of society and critical to creating positive change in the world.

One tangible indicator of institutional efforts to advance DEI is illustrated by the

creation of new positions and hiring Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) and Directors of

DEI to improve organizational culture (Clauson & McKnight, 2018). In 2007, the

National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) was

established to advance DEI nationally (Worthington et al., 2014). These positions are

essential for combating racism, discrimination, genderism, misogyny, ageism, sexism,

and other hate language used on campus if they are given authority to institute policy

changes to combat forms of discrimination (Aguilar, Bauer, & Lawson 2017; Harvey

2014; Worthington et al., 2014). Not only have some institutions introduced new roles
 2

and hiring practices related to DEI, but they have dedicated their campuses to enriching the

student population with different programming to identify ways to increase campus inclusivity

(Patton & Hannon, 2008). Some programming includes platforms like multicultural centers for

students to share their experiences on campus to create empowerment and Chancellor's series,

where leaders discuss the historical perspective of the campus and give a chronological overview

of where the institution is headed (Harvey, 2014; Vanderbilt, 2020; Young, 1991). There are far-

reaching benefits to investing in these types of initiatives, and studies suggest that advancing

DEI can improve overall organizational culture and success (Bopp, 2014; Clauson & McKnight,

2018).

However, one functional area on campus where DEI has received less attention is higher

education athletics (Unzueta & Binning, 2012). While many higher education institutions have

advanced DEI, athletic departments often lack the same urgency, plans, and trajectory to

implement new programming or practices (McGinniss et al., 2020). While the NCAA provides

best practices and reviews to foster DEI such as “The Pledge, Your Work in Action,” “Award for

Diversity and Inclusion,” “45 years of Title IX,” and “Champions of Diversity and Education and

Development” (NCAA, 2021c; NCAA, 2021b), most athletic departments fail to use these

resources successfully (Lapchick, 2019). Shortcomings within athletic departments often include

a lack of diversity hiring, training programs, institutional DEI collaboration, leadership

assessment, diversity plans, increased minoritized individuals’ recruitment, and/or roles for

diversity officers (Brief & Barsky, 2000; Cunningham, 2012; Finkel et al., 2003). The work

toward advancing DEI in athletics should include improving the representation of women,

minoritized, marginalized, and individuals who often encounter discrimination (Bopp et al.,

2014; Wilson et al., 2012). In addition, athletic departments should focus on upward mobility
 3

and career trajectory opportunities, an improved system and structure for equity and

advancement, embracing intersectional differences, retaining high-performing workers, and

leadership accountability (Advancing DEI, 2017; Bopp et al., 2014).

This study focused on the importance of staff members by examining NRU’s

athletic department executive and mid-level employees. The focus on these key

stakeholders is essential to understanding the organizational culture and how to create

change and advance DEI in athletic departments. Emphasis on leaders and key mid-level

employees who understand and value the organizational culture can assist with improving

cultures in other athletic departments, institutions, communities, and society.

Statement of the Problem

Research studies show the importance of DEI and its effects on organizations

(Bernhard, 2015). As individuals are appreciated, accepted, receive opportunities,

collaborate on projects, and are equally awarded hiring opportunities, the better

organizations become (Johnson, 1992; Joplin & Daus, 1997; Robinson & Dechant, 1997).

As athletic departments evolve, leaders are vital to helping advance DEI. Therefore, a key

is to improve organizational cultures by having effective leadership in athletics that

advances DEI.

As DEI continues to make strides within higher education in numerous areas,

limited research has examined advancing DEI in athletics (Hurtado, 2007; Lapchick,

2010). Sobers et al.’s (2014) research study shows that athletics continue to grapple with

DEI since minoritized women and men are at distinct disadvantages in hiring. Lack of

hiring can be partially attributed to the athletic culture where white men overwhelmingly

dominate athletic departments leadership positions, accounting for 97% of all jobs (Fink
 4

et al., 2001; Lapchick, 2019). While some athletic departments hire Chief DEI Officers,

Associate Diversity Officers, or Directors of Culture, Diversity, and Engagement, the

overall initiatives to drive DEI within athletics have not seen positive movement (Bernhard,

2015; Hunt 2018). The ineffectiveness and stagnant movement of DEI in college athletics calls

for more attention from athletic leaders to improve the department by enhancing the

organizational culture and operations (Wilson et al., 2012).

Advancing DEI in athletics is critically important to higher education institutions and

society. In athletic administration, Black women 3%, Black men 13%, and other employees from

racially minoritized groups 6% accounted for 22% of athletic directors (AD) and 20% of

assistant directors, 15% of associate directors, and 19% of faculty representatives in Division I

under the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, 2020). These leadership positions

are essential to advancing DEI due to their authoritative status in athletics. The low percentage of

minoritized individuals in leadership positions is a significant indicator of the lack of DEI

advancement in athletic departments (Cunningham, 2012; Lapchick & Kuhn, 2011). Lapchick's

(2019) study, "Racial and Gender Report Card: College Sports," on the diversity of athletic

departments received an overall grade of C+ while racial hiring received a B and gender hiring a

C+. Lapchick (2019) determined that the current hiring of women and racially minoritized

groups in college athletics is minuscule and discouraging. Numerous changes within the culture

of higher education athletics will have to happen for these statistics to change. The athletic

departments are not doing their due diligence because the "old boys" clubs continue to perpetuate

whiteness and hinder the advancement of DEI (Jackson et al., 2018). The advancement of DEI in

athletics is essential to the future success of athletic departments and collegiate sports. Still,

many issues, like a lack of diverse leaders in key positions, stand in the way.
 5

The NCAA embraces the importance of advancing DEI in athletics. The NCAA’s

stated core values and commitment to advancing DEI are evident with DEI resources on

their website and the Award for Diversity and Inclusion. Each year since 2013, the

NCAA has awarded nine athletic departments, one each year, with the Award for

Diversity and Inclusion on leadership, infrastructure, evaluation & assessment, education,

and collaboration (NCAA, 2021a). The athletic department candidates for the award must

excel in the following areas:

• Focus on the importance and the benefits of managing diversity, equality, and

promoting a culture of inclusion.

• Raise deep awareness of equality and diversity issues from both an

employment and service provision point of view.

• Provide mentoring opportunities and/or programming internally or externally.

• Support inclusive and/or diversity-related educational/professional

development opportunities. Implement creative and inclusive work policies to

support the needs of a diverse staff.

• Foster an environment that celebrates differences.

• Contribute to the last year for innovative initiatives that affect the organization

internally or externally (NCAA, 2021).

Advancing DEI in athletics should look to accomplish each of the principles

outlined by the NCAA (2021a, 2021b). The different components of winning the award

acknowledge the importance of advancing and fostering DEI in athletics. The

advancement of DEI in athletics does not happen overnight but can drastically improve

the organization's culture (Cunningham, 2009). The NCAA Award for Diversity and
 6

Inclusion shows commitment to advancing DEI and can help strengthen an organization with key

features outlined in the criteria to win the award (NCAA, 2021a).

The value of learning from award-winning programs provides a roadmap to achieving

and advancing DEI in athletics. Winners of the NCAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion

understand how the dedication of harnessing the differences of people in the organization to

achieve tremendous success is possible. The dedication of advancing DEI helps shape the culture

and people to advance the organization (Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999; Sinatra & Maher, 2012).

The advancement of DEI is centered around transformative leaders in the leadership approach to

providing tools and techniques to influence the culture and followers dedicated to enriching the

organization (Adserias et al., 2017; Aguirre & Martinez, 2006; Cawsey, 2012). Influential

leaders and followers are critical components to advancing DEI in athletic departments to

continue the success and positive outcomes for organizations (Schroder, 2010; Tierney, 1989).

Purpose of the Study and Research Questions

The purpose of this case study was to examine an athletic department that achieved

excellence based on the NCAA interpretations and standards for DEI and explore factors that

other athletic departments can adopt to improve organizational cultures. The research was

conducted at Northeast Research University (NRU). NRU is a research institution ranking

globally. According to the Best Colleges U.S News (2021) ranking, NRU is placed in the top 100

of Best Colleges in National Universities. NRU is classified as an R1 institution, with only 137

institutions with this classification. An R1 institution is regarded as a very high research

institution (The Carnegie Classification, 2021). This institution was chosen because of its

exemplary work to advance DEI in athletics by hiring practices, professional development,

programming initiatives, community outreach, promoting policies, programs, and practices that
 7

advance DEI, and their comprehensive and campus-impacting programming that

increases opportunities for minoritized individuals. Similarly, NRU is reflective of my

current work placement in athletics at a DI Top 100, R1 institution. This research study

will look to answer the following questions:

1. What steps did this athletic department take to improve DEI?

2. What role did executive leadership and mid-level employees play in the advancement of

DEI within this athletic department?

Defining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Defining DEI is important given the central role these concepts play in the current

study. Diversity is any visible or invisible socially salient identity held by an individual

that cannot exist alone (Whitelaw, 2016). These identities are broader than race, ethnicity,

and gender but include age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation,

socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, and appearance (Kapila &

Searby, 2016). Defining diversity comes with more than what meets the eye. The

connection between equality and equity are essential to understanding DEI. Equality

focuses on providing opportunities for others to survive, develop, and reach their highest

potential without discrimination, bias, or favoritism (UNICEF, 2010), while Kapila and

Searby (2016) define equity as creating environments where an individual or group can

embrace, feel embraced, regarded, supported, and appreciated to participate fully. The

Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education (2017) acknowledges that the

structure of systemic racism has plagued higher education and denied opportunities for

historically underrepresented populations but continues to shift to provide an equitable

opportunity and equal access. The notion of equity is to provide more to those in need, as
 8

equality is to provide everyone with the same (Benison et al., 2016; Luster et al., 2021; Perna et

al., 2007).

Shifting to the last word in DEI, inclusion, this word puts the importance of involving

and "bringing people together and harnessing diverse forces and resources, in a way that is

beneficial" (Jordan, 2011, p.1). Inclusion improves an organization's potential to accomplish

greater results by fostering differences in diverse backgrounds and viewpoints through

participatory decision-making (Hodkinson, 2011; Jordan, 2011; Whitelaw, 2016). Whitelaw

(2016) defines inclusion as a sense of belonging and participating in a socio-political economic

community/campus. The richness of ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives are harnessed to create

a precious environment. Attorney, educator, and nationally recognized expert, Vernā Meyers

says, “diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance” (Cho, 2016, p.1).

Significance of the Study

Cunningham's (2008) study shows that athletics should take steps to advance DEI to help

improve and strengthen their organizational culture. Advancing DEI in higher education athletic

departments is not easy but is necessary to improve organizational culture (Barnett, 2020;

Hoffman & Mitchell; 2016; Sinatra & Maher, 2012). As institutions and workplaces continue to

evolve, the time for athletics to follow suit is now. Institutions and workplaces that have

structured an organizational culture that embraces DEI and continues to advance it for the

organization's greater good show positive results of organizational effectiveness (Bombaro,

2020; Hunt, 2018). The resources from the NCAA are valuable, and athletics should look toward

leaders within the organization to strengthen the culture by advancing DEI for the greater good

of the department. The significance of this study is to move from diversity because it is

inevitable, to equity and inclusion for all athletic departments. This study seeks to find guiding
 9

principles that athletic departments can adopt to create a more equitable and inclusive

organizational culture that embodies and harnesses differences such as race, gender, sexuality,

ethnicity, and identification.

Higher education and athletics do not operate as one entity and they each hold

responsibilities to enact their own DEI initiatives (Fink et al., 2001). Athletics follow the

NCAA guidelines while the institution constructs its own. However, generally,

institutions are responsible for hiring leaders for the university and athletics (Bennett,

2020; Wong, 2014). While higher education and athletics are one entity, both are not

involved with the oversight of the other’s organizational culture collectively (Cole,

2017). Research studies show that institutions are advancing DEI by hiring leaders and

placing people in positions to strengthen the organizational culture while athletics have

not improved in those areas (Bernhard, 2015; Lapchick & Kuhn, 2011; Patton & Hannon,

2008).

Fink and Pastore (1999) acknowledge that athletic departments can advance DEI,

but those in power must understand the effects on organizational culture. If athletic

departments seek to advance DEI through the organization's culture, they must first

acknowledge the issues and be aware of their culture (Cunningham & Sagas, 2005).

Advancing DEI in athletics has yielded positive outcomes from departments that have

embraced and incorporated it effectively.

This case study seeks to find ways to advance DEI in athletics by examining

NRU’s organizational culture. As institutions continue to expand DEI initiatives, the call

for athletics to follow suit is imperative as higher education and athletics deal with related

issues (Elfman, 2019). Athletics taking a more conscious approach to advancing DEI will
 10

allow for more opportunities for minoritized individuals, increased collaboration, improved

creativity, and a healthier environment that gets rid of the "old boys club” and changes the

leadership demographics (Bopp et al. 2014; Chatman et al., 1998; Hopkins et al., 2001; Siciliano,

1996).

Organization of Dissertation Study

Chapter two explores four topics based upon a review of the literature: college athletics

and institutional culture, organizational culture, athletic department’s commitment to DEI, and

concludes with the conceptual framework by Schroeder’s (2010) “Interaction of the elements of

the model of intercollegiate athletic department cultures,” combined with interculturalism to

provide a DEI lens (Giannakoulias, 2020) that will guide this study. Chapter three introduces the

proposed research design and methods that will be used to answer the research questions.

Chapter four discusses the findings and themes that emerged, while chapter five is the discussion

and implications.
 11

Chapter II

Literature Review

The review of literature examined four key topics related to advancing DEI in

university athletic departments. The first section focused specifically on research studies

examining the relationship between college athletics and organizational culture. These

studies provide examples of how and why some college athletic departments have been

able to advance DEI, while others have not. The second section highlights key findings of

the literature on organizational culture, which is a conduit to advancing DEI. A clear

understanding of organizational culture is essential to finding ways to strengthen the

organization while at the same time advancing DEI (Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999;

Harnell et al., 2011). Discussed within the subsection of organizational culture are the

topics of organizational effectiveness and leadership. The third section, commitment to

DEI, acknowledges that while some athletic departments struggle to advance DEI, often

the true reason for these struggles is that there are lapses in fully committing to DEI

efforts (Bopp et al., 2014). Studies show that committing to DEI helps structure a healthy

organizational culture (Mowday, 1979; Spaaij et al., 2018). The fourth and final section

examines the two conceptual frameworks – Schroeder’s (2010) “Interaction of The

Elements of The Model of Athletic Department Cultures” and interculturalism – used to

examine how athletic departments may effectively advance DEI.

College Athletics and Institutional Culture

The Culture of College Athletics. Athletics are severely behind in terms of

initiatives, hiring, and creation of roles to advance DEI in the organization (Barber et al.,

2020; Jacobson, 2018; McCullough & Gotian, 2020; Wilson et al., 2012). Athletics’ lack
 12

of DEI advancement underscores the importance of placing greater emphasis on organizational

culture (Barnhill et al., 2021; Sage, 1990; Schroeder, 2010). Frey’s (1994) research on the

“organizational deviance” of athletic departments found that structurally, there is a difference

between the organizational culture of higher education and athletics in universities; this structural

difference often allows athletic departments to operate independently rather than in congruence

with the institution. The athletic department is “tied to the institution by virtue of tradition, but its

goals and activities have little to do with those of the school” (Frey, 1994, p. 117). Athletics’

ability to operate differently than the university creates a unique environment (Sage, 1990) that

can introduce barriers to DEI efforts. For example, Barnhill et al. (2021) stated that “sport

organizations are controlled by their environment” (p. 20), which white men have controlled for

decades (Bennett, 2020; Lapchick, 2020; Sage, 1990). The athletic culture, dominated by white

males, has carried systemic inequality, and has not improved or advanced DEI (Bennett, 2020;

Whisenant, 2003). The stereotypes and oppression in the culture of athletics create the

underrepresentation of minoritized individuals in athletic organizations (Price et al., 2015). The

continued criticism of athletic culture resides in the lack of minoritized hiring, sexist mentality,

white male-dominated field, and lack of DEI advancement (College, 2001). At the same time,

there has been limited research examining organizational culture in athletic departments

(Schroeder, 2010; Southhall & Nagel, 2003; Southall, Wells & Nagel, 2005) and the specific

ways in which this culture shapes DEI efforts.

Most college athletic departments are run by the athletic director (AD). The AD oversees

the hiring of department leaders such as head coaches, senior administrators, and other key

personnel. Athletic directors are at the helm of leading and creating the culture, mission, and

values because they operate in a similar manner as CEOs (Taylor & Hardin, 2016). This
 13

hierarchy approach is one hindrance to advancing DEI because of the low number of

minoritized individuals as ADs. The NCAA (2022) demographics database shows

Division I (D1), Division II (DII), and Division III (DIII) members of the association

roughly account for 1,200 teams with 1,106 having AD positions. In 2021, the gender and

race/ethnicity demographics reported that white males accounted for 705, Black males

97, other males 34, white women 226, Black women 32, and other women 12 (NCAA,

2021). The lack of minoritized individuals in leadership position is a result of the

historical organizational structure and operations of college athletics. This structure has

been referred to as the “old boy club” where white males continue to hold the vast

majority of leadership positions within the field (Lapchick, 2013; Schull et al., 2013).

However, higher education does not operate the same with key positions on campus that

work in conjunction to make decisions. A critical study by Lanter and Hawkins (2013)

stated that “higher education [has] created athletic enterprises that function within the

physical structure of the university, but they are ideologically and philosophically

separate from the university” (p. 88). The external optics of the relationship between

athletics and the institution are prevalent, but not the internal, where college athletics are

structured to operate according to their own will, which is not visible. College athletics

have the liberty to create their own culture, mission, and values that do not necessarily

have to be aligned with those of the broader institution, which explains why athletics has

not been proactive or pioneers in terms of advancing DEI.

Higher Education Culture. The operation of higher education is an environment

that is unique from any other organization (Duderstadt, 2000). Over the past few years,

some higher education institutions have recognized DEI as essential to organizational

 14

culture and believe that promoting DEI is essential to the learning environment (Barnett, 2020).

Research studies show that institutions have recently developed initiatives to advance DEI

(Barber et al., 2020; Jacobson, 2018; McCullough & Gotian, 2020). Higher education has

improved and advanced DEI from gender representation to opportunities for minoritized faculty

members (Bayer & Rouse, 2016). Wilson et al.’s (2012) study examined mission statements

from 80 higher education universities about diversity and found that 59 (75%) institutions

acknowledged diversity in the mission statements, showing that some institutions have

embedded diversity in the mission statement and have made an effort to improve the

organization by advancing DEI (Wilson et al., 2012). Institutions are taking it one step farther by

hiring Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) and other roles to assist with systemic issues such as

inequitable hiring (Clauson & McKnight, 2018; Hoffman & Mitchell, 2016). Sinatra and

Maher’s (2012) mixed-method study examined service impact for faculty at St. John’s

University and found that dedication to the common good of employees, students, staff, and the

community is essential for advancing DEI (Sinatra & Maher, 2012).

As higher education more broadly continues to make strides with DEI, athletic

departments have been pressured to follow suit (Doherty et al., 2010). Research has shown that

college athletics are often criticized for their lack of diversity initiatives and hiring practices in

the department (Lapchick, 2020). In Doherty et al.’s (2010) study on organizational culture and

diversity with 11 personnel from Division III athletic departments, one interviewee

acknowledged that “diversity is valued more across campus than within the athletic department”

(p. 377). Doherty et al.’s (2010) findings show that athletics are still trying to find ways to

diversify the athletic department and advance DEI. Athletics is often aware of the benefits of

diverse organizations but fails to actualize them (Singer & Cunningham, 2009; Fink et al., 2001;
 15

Taylor, 2003). One component of this actualization is represented in hiring, but the

number of diverse hires within college athletics remains low (Lapchick, 2010).

According to the NCAA (2021) database of Division I coaches, white head coaches

accounted for 80% (61% male, 19% female), white assistant coaches accounted for 67%

(49% male, 18% female), and white strength coaches 76% (65% male, 11% female).

Among all Division I business managers, 81% (48% males, 33% female) were white

(NCAA, 2021). These statistics are at the core of why more pressure is being placed on

athletics to advance DEI and improve efforts. Relative to many other functional areas on

campus, athletic departments have been slow to adopt and advance DEI initiatives.

Organizational Culture

Acknowledging the importance of improving and strengthening organizational

culture has the potential to effectively advanced DEI (Cunningham, 2005, 2012; Doherty

& Chelladurai, 1999; Harnell et al., 2011). Organizational culture has been defined as “an

underlying system of shared values, beliefs, and assumptions about how things are done

in the organizations” (Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999, p. 286) that “influence the

workplace atmosphere” (Barnhill et al., 2021, p.18). Glisson & James (2002) study

explains that individuals share a broader organizational culture. Culture also influences

the behavior and attitude of people within the organization (Detert et al., 2000). Barnhill

et al.’s (2021) book on sports organizations analyzing internal organizational factors

found that organizational culture is the most critical aspect of DEI.

The orchestration of organizational culture is essential to the behavior and

operations of the department (Cox, 1993). However, building a healthy culture takes

time, dedication, and leadership that embodies the importance of diversity (Doherty &
 16

Chelladurai, 1999). As the organization’s culture is established, the reduction of ambiguity and

knowing what is expected from individuals in the organization occurs (Doherty & Chelladurai,

1999). Organizational culture can “encourage or discourage diversity and inclusion,” and

building diversity and inclusion into the culture is vital to the functioning and success of the

organization (Barnhill et al., 2021, p. 32). While organizations are built and established by

individuals, the importance of diversity should be at the forefront of constructing a culture that

fosters differences (Doherty et al., 2010).

Understanding the importance of advancing DEI through the organizational culture

requires acknowledging the differences between individuals and cultural diversity. Doherty and

Chelladurai’s (1999) cultural diversity and organizations model have been widely used to

examine organizational culture. Their study found that organizational cultures are essential for

aligning and guiding diverse personnel (Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999).

Doherty and Chelladurai’s (1999) model defines cultural diversity as “the unique sets of

values, beliefs, attitudes, and expectations, as well as language, symbols, customs, and behaviors,

that individuals possess by virtue of sharing some common characteristics with each other”

(p.281). The model examines four areas: low cultural diversity, the organizational culture of

similarity; high cultural diversity, the organizational culture of similarity; low cultural diversity,

the organizational culture of diversity; and high cultural diversity, the organizational culture of

diversity (Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999). In a low cultural diversity, organizational culture

similarity shows that organizations are not likely to understand the benefits of diversity

(Cunningham, 2011; Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999). With a high cultural diversity, the

organizational culture of similarity reveals that organizations are unlikely to realize the benefits

of diversity, resulting in adverse outcomes (Cunningham, 2011; Doherty et al., 2010; Doherty &
 17

Chelladurai,1999). Within a low cultural diversity, the organizational culture of diversity

may uncover an organizational benefit of diversity, but not a lot due to the low cultural

diversity (Doherty & Chelladurai,1999). Lastly, a high cultural diversity, organizational

diversity, has the most significant effect on cultural diversity, and the organization

responds better to the environment (Doherty & Chelladurai,1999). Cunningham (2011)

determined that Doherty and Chelladurai‘s (1999) model has a strong foundation that

makes it valuable and effective for a sports organization, “explicated on both the values

and assumptions underlying a particular culture and manifestation of that culture,

allowing us to decouple the intricate effects of culture on subsequent outcomes,” and

relates to the context of diversity and organizational culture in sports (p. 294). Doherty

and Chelladurai’s (1999) model on cultural diversity shows substantial implications of

moving organizations positively to strengthen the organizational culture of diversity in

athletics.

Doherty et al.’s (2010) expansion on the framework of cultural diversity created

the “Integrated Framework of Forces Impacting a Culture of Diversity” that included the

importance of individuals and groups within an organization. They examined four areas

of cultural diversity: surface-individual, surface-group, deep-individual, and deep-group

forces. The framework shows how cultural diversity drives an organization and may be

used to identify the organizational culture of athletic departments. The surface individual

examines the personal actions of people in the athletic department, such as coaches,

trainers, administrators, managers, and assistants (Bradshaw, 1998; Doherty et al., 2010;

Patchett et al., 2021). These individuals hold power and can positively affect cultural

diversity (Doherty et al., 2010, Patchett et al., 2021). In this region, Doherty et al. (2010)
 18

acknowledge the role of athletic directors as crucial leaders that impact cultural diversity and hire

other leaders who will impact the organization. These leaders are driving forces and critical to

achieving cultural diversity (Doherty et al., 2010; Patchett et al., 2021). The surface group

examines restructuring to change the power dynamics in culture and looks to impact the

organization (Bradshaw, 1998; Doherty et al., 2010; Patchett et al., 2021). Examples of surface

group impact are “hiring of individuals with diverse social identities, offering diversity training,

using inclusive language, and job autonomy” (Patchett et al., 2021, p. 165). The deep individual

aspect examines where power lies as resistance, where individuals can recognize their own

biases and prejudice that results in a change of values and actions (Bradshaw, 1998; Doherty et

al., 2010; Patchett et al., 2021). DEI efforts in this sector can bolster cultural diversity and are

essential to the organizational culture (Patchett et al., 2021). Lastly, in the region of

deconstruction, it “refers to that which is entrenched in the unit’s structure, systems, and

discourse” (Doherty et al., 2010; p. 370). The deconstruction supports diversity and inclusion

that calls for commitment from individuals to oppose tokenism and oppression to create a culture

of diversity in an athletic department (Doherty et al., 2010; Patchett et al., 2021). The

organizational embracement of cultural diversity is important for the advancement of DEI.

Schroder (2010) acknowledges that “when examining any organizational culture, an

accounting of subcultures is also imperative” (p.100). Subcultures are developed through

different identifications such as race, geography, gender, occupation, and other intersections

embedded into the organizational culture (Barnhill et al., 2021; Martin & Siehl, 1983; Schein,

2004). The studies of subcultures have expanded to the notion of differentiation (Martin & Siehl,

1983; Schein, 2004). Lok and Crawford’s (1999) study on organizational culture and subcultures

with nurses at hospitals answering questionnaires and surveys found that differentiation is a
 19

concept that the organizational culture and subculture differ and possess an impact on

individuals in the workplace. The differentiation in subculture is equally vital as the

integrative process of organizational cultures (Martin & Siehl, 1983). The existence of

subcultures is a part of identity for individuals in the organization (Piggott & Cariaga-Lo,

2019). As subcultures are established, they are essential to aligning with the organization

(Ravishankar et al., 2011). Given subcultures are inherently a part of organizational

cultures, there must be alignment with both subculture and the organizational culture

(Doherty et al., 2010; Schein, 2004; Schroder, 2010). Ravishankar et al. (2011) found that

“subcultures bring into sharp focus the socially constructed dimensions of alignment

influencing both the perception of and response to the implementation of an organization-

wide system” (p. 55). If subcultures are not aligned with the organizational culture, they

could challenge the dominant culture and create minor fractures (Martin & Siehl, 1983).

Knowing and building the organizational culture is critical for the advancement of

DEI. Martin and Siehl’s (1983) study on General Motors (GM) interviewed several

current and former employees with an open-ended format on organizational culture and

found four management perspectives on culture and its impact on the organization. First,

the perspectives of an organization are assumed to “(1) transmit top management’s

interpretations of the meaning of events throughout the organization, (2) generate a

commitment to their practices and policies, and (3) help them control behavior in

accordance with their objectives” (p. 52). The second perspective was that culture is

integrative and harnesses diversity (Martin & Siehl, 1983). Third, is that organizational

culture is often viewed and as a “monolithic phenomenon” that equates to a tall task in

the organization (Martin and Siehl’s, 1983, p.52). Lastly, Martin and Siehl (1983) suggest
 20

that organizational culture is directed with action and could be detrimental to understanding the

fundamental aspects of organizational culture. For instance, cultures may be created or well-

managed (Martin and Siehl’s, 1983). The well-management outcome coincides with

Cunningham’s (2012) study that examined diversity training in college athletics with 239 NCAA

Division I, 205 Division II, and 231 Division III senior-level administrators and department level

found that healthy organizational culture shows positive organizational effectiveness. The

organizational culture is a key component of achieving organizational effectiveness (Denison &

Mishra, 1995; Hartnell et al., 2011; Kotter & Heskett, 1992; Siehl and Martin, 199). A strong

organizational culture helps employees and staff better understand the organization's mission,

vision, goals, and values while improving the organization’s effectiveness (Barnhill et al., 2021;

Cunningham, 2012; Martin & Siehl, 1983).

Organizational Effectiveness. Research studies show a direct correlation between

organizational cultures, managing diversity, and organizational effectiveness (Barnhill et al.,

2021). Daft (1995) defined organizational effectiveness as “the degree to which an organization

realizes its goals” (p.98) and shows positive outcomes (Cunningham, 2008). Fink et al.’s (2001)

study used diversity as a framework and surveyed Division I athletic directors (29), Senior

Women’s Administrators (33), and middle managers (59) and found diversity strategies are

essential for organizational effectiveness. When organizations are aware of diversity, they

enhance organizational effectiveness because they account for the differences of everyone in the

environment (Cawsey et al., 2012). Fink and Pastore (1999) examined diversity with a business

lens to study Division I athletic organizations. They suggested that “for diversity initiatives to be

truly embedded within the organization, those in power must be convinced of diversity’s

relationship to organizational effectiveness (Fink & Pastore, 1999, p. 319). Organizations'

 21

communication to improve effectiveness relies on the management and leadership to

align with the organizational culture (Zheng et al., 2010).

The establishing and construction of organizations should have a strategic plan

that centers around the inner workings of culture. Culture impacts not just the

organization but also the people and leaders that influence workflow and unlocks

performance. Establishing a healthy and robust organizational culture is critical for the

advancement of DEI. The improvement of organizational effectiveness resides in

improving the organizational culture to advance DEI (Beyer & Hannah, 2000; Bombaro,

2020; Zheng et al., 2010). Harnell et al.’s (2011) study found that organizational culture

is essential to organizational effectiveness and leaders supportive of DEI. Advancing DEI

with a strong organizational culture to improve effectiveness requires a leader in place to

uphold the standards and expectations of others within the organization.

Leadership. Leaders are imperative to organizations’ growth, design, action, and

culture (Martin & Siehl, 1983; Northouse, 2018; Schein, 2004; Schroder, 2010 Trice &

Beyer, 1993). Leadership has been defined as a process, influence, group, and shared

goals that come with power (Northouse, 2018). Preston-Cunningham et al. (2017) define

leadership as “a process whereby one individual influences a group of individuals to

achieve a common goal” (p.135). Northouse (2018) define leadership as “whereby an

individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal, rather than

developing new ways of defining leadership (p. 41). The definition of leadership

continues to evolve and must be adapted based on the context.

Effective leadership has been shown to produce high-performing working

environments (Chelladurai & Kent, 2001; Doherty & Danyclchuk, 1996; Ho, 2016).
 22

Leaders who can establish and manage cultures help move the organization in the right direction

(Schein, 2004). As leaders are often the initiators of cultures, they are responsible for translating

the culture to others (Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999; Northouse, 2018). Schein (2004) stated that

“the only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage culture” (p. 11). As the

culture is established, leaders must communicate with followers to ensure the culture takes hold

across the organization (Schneider et al., 2013). Gonzalez-Roma et al. (2002) determined that the

leaders are responsible for passing information and making sure the culture is intact. In sum,

leaders are at the core of organizations and are responsible for the perpetuation of culture and

vision.

Nahavandi (2006) explained individuals influence organizations and help them create

goals and execute them. Leadership requires leaders with a vision for the organization’s culture

(Duderstadt, 2000; Martin & Siehl, 1983; Nahavandi, 2006). Bennis and Nanus’s (2007) study

found that leaders must have a vision for the organization which impacts the future. The leaders

are at the forefront of building a culture through a shared vision and gaining the organization’s

trust with critical directions for growth (Northouse, 2018). The leaders should state a clear and

concise vision, articulate the message to make the vision more robust, and establish an

organizational culture that embodies the importance of vision and goal orientation (Patchett et

al., 2021; Sackmann, 1992; Schneider et al., 2013). The leader’s vision should be shared and

executed by all followers in the organization (Bennis & Nanus, 2007; Martin & Siehl, 1983).

As the saying goes, there are no leaders without followers. Northouse’s (2018) research

shows that leaders are responsible for the organization’s culture and the hiring of followers.

Schneider et al. (2013) research on organizational climate and organizational culture, shared

similar sentiments of the culture and how vital followers are in carrying out the mission.
 23

Similarly, other research studies show that the organization's purpose should be driven

and upheld by leaders, followers, and the culture (Cunningham, 2011; Doherty &

Chelladurai, 1999; Trice & Beyer, 1993). The culture and leadership will help sustain the

organization. However, the leaders are responsible for creating a culture that harnesses

the differences of individuals in the organization (Barnhill et al., 2021; Patchett et al.,

2021).

One leadership theory that has shown to harness differences, impact

organizational culture, and advance DEI is transformational leadership. The history of

transformational leadership is essential. Over the years, scholars such as Burns (1978),

Bass (1985), Kuhnert (1994), Bennis and Nanus (2007), and Northouse (2018) have

expanded the theory to not just individuals but culture and organizations. Burns (1978)

conceptualized transformational leadership as an approach to understanding leadership

and followers’ roles. In the early 1980s, the theory gained steam as researchers found the

approach substantial and useful for understanding organizational performance

(Northouse, 2018). Transformational leadership has been defined as “the process of

influencing major changes in attitudes and assumptions of organizational members and

building commitment for the organization’s mission and objectives” (Yukl, 1989, p. 204).

Bryman (1992) referred to transformational leadership as the “New Leadership,” which

works more toward charismatic and affective elements of leadership. While charismatic

leadership unlocks the relationships between followers and the organization, it does not

necessarily create substantial improvement for advancing diversity in the workplace and

is not sufficient for transformational leaders (Yammarino, 1993).

 24

Research on transformational leaders continues to evolve and expand. Elias et al. (2006)

state that transformative leadership “is willing to realign structures and relationships to achieve

genuine and sustainable change” (p.10) and is critical for focusing on the organization (Bass,

1990; Bass & Avolio, 1994; Burns, 1978; Chelladurai & Kent, 2001; Northouse, 2018). Shamir

and Howell (1999) suggested that transformational leadership can be applied to all organizations’

situations, because the theory has shown to be effective for leading organizations and cultural

changes across a variety of contexts. Tierney’s (1989) study acknowledged that transformational

leaders guide and create a culture to achieve organizational change. While transformative leaders

create change, Adserias et al. (2017) acknowledge the impact of transformational leaders’ ability

to have a “greater potential for leading the type of large-scale, long-term organizational, and

cultural changes necessitated by diversity agenda” (p. 319). Literature shows that

transformational leadership can positively improve cultures and organizational commitment (Ho,

2016).

Scholars have linked transformational and transactional leadership to show a connection

between the two. Bass (1985) connects transformational and transactional leadership as a single

leadership approach and not independent. Transactional leadership is “aimed at monitoring and

controlling employees through rational or economic means” (Bono & Judge, 2004, p.901).

Unlike transformational leadership, transactional leadership does not focus on the development

of individuals in the organization (Northouse, 2018). Hartog et al.’s (1997) study found that it is

essential to contrast transactional and transformational leadership to better understand the

leadership. The influence of transformative leaders on organizations and people is at the crux of

differentiating from transactional leadership because the theory is committed to change, new

vision, and transforming organizations (Hartog et al. 1997; Tichy & Devanna, 1990; Yammarino
 25

& Bass, 1990). Lussier and Achua (2007) identify transformative leaders as visionaries

and agents of change to achieve positive outcomes. Some researchers would like to

conflate transactional and transformational leadership, and a leader can be both.

However, transformative leaders transcend expectations and push people and

organizations to do more (Hartog et al. 1997).

Bass’s (1985) “Leadership Continuum from Transformational to Laissez-Faire

Leadership” was developed in conjunction to transformational leadership. In this hands-

off approach, leaders choose to allow the people or organization to be independent and to

empower other leaders to improve their leadership traits (Bass, 1985; Hartog et al., 1997;

Northouse, 2018). However, the laissez-faire approach is only sufficient when the leader

is incompetent. A competent leader under the Laissez-Faire approach would be

undermined and negatively impact the organization (Hartog et al., 1997). While Bass

(1985) suggests combining transformational, transactional, and Laissez-Faire to be the

most effective leadership approach, several studies indicate transformative leaders are

best suited to assess and advance DEI efforts because they focus on making the

organization better (Adserias et al., 2017; Aguirre & Martinez, 2002, 2006; Anderson,

2008).

Aguirre and Martinez (2002) explained that transformational leadership seeks “to

promote diversity as a legitimate and contributing agent in the research activity valued in

the organizational culture” and “recognize the value of minority faculty engagement in

defining values and preferences in the organizational environment” (p. 57-58). Anderson

(2008) suggested that leaders best handle diversity issues with a transformational lens to

press organizations for change. Transformational leadership has the potential to rectify
 26

systemic oppression on issues related to race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and other marginalized

identities (Adserias et al., 2017; Aguirre & Martinez, 2002; Tierney, 1989). Transformational

leaders can advance DEI in athletics since they hold the power to reform and reshape the culture

to bolster social identities in the department (Adserias et al., 2017; Aguirre & Martinez, 2002;

Ho, 2016; Tierney, 1989). Research continues to acknowledge transformational leadership as a

proven approach to examine organizations with a diversity lens to create change (Chun & Evans

2009; Kezar and Eckel, 2008).

Particularly relevant for the current study, transformational leadership in athletics has

shown positive organizational and cultural success (Bass, 1990; Bass & Avolio, 1994; Burns,

1978; Chelladurai & Kent, 2001; Doherty & Danyclchuk, 1996). Doherty and Danyclchuk’s

(1996) study found a high correlation between transformational leadership and college athletic

organizational cultures. Transformational leadership has been found to improve athletic

organizations and infuse the culture with diversity and inclusion (Aguirre & Martinez, 2006).

Cooper et al. (2020) suggest that a “transformational leadership approach would not only reduce

the current racial and gender inequities in college sport, but also lead to improved organizational

outcomes related to performance, stakeholder satisfaction, and overall impact on society” (p. 7).

Research on transformational leadership has shown it has considerable potential to improve

organizational cultures and advance DEI within college athletics.

Literature acknowledges that advancing DEI in athletics is not a simple task and requires

a multitude of areas that need to be addressed. There needs to be an organizational culture that

embraces differences, intersectionality, and staff development (Barnett, 2020; Fink & Pastore,

1999; Hoffman & Mitchell, 2016; Tienda, 2013). The organizational culture must be able to

appoint leaders in the organizations to help improve and advance DEI (Schein, 2004; Schroder,
 27

2010 Trice & Beyer, 1993). Athletic departments can learn from other functional areas

and divisions within higher education institutions that have successfully implemented

DEI and determine what steps are necessary to follow suit (Doherty et al., 2010).

Athletics should be aware of not just creating taglines and piecemeal initiatives but

committing fully to advancing DEI. A strong commitment to DEI upholds standards and

strengthens others in the organization to take pride in the cause (Worthington et al.,

2014). In turn, becomes a part of the culture and can enhance organizational

effectiveness. The key to advancing DEI in athletics requires a leader who understands

the importance of culture, people, and commitment to DEI such as transformational

leaders.

The construction of an organization’s culture requires strong leaders to achieve

organizational effectiveness to advance DEI. Organizational culture in athletics is vital to

the organization’s growth, people, and success of the athletic department (Cox, 1993;

Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999; Schroeder, 2010). Leaders aware of the importance and

strengths of a diverse staff and department can gain a better quality of organizational

culture (Bombaro, 2020; Cunningham, 2008; Hunt, 2018). Research studies suggest

leaders who set missions and visions on DEI, similar to higher education initiatives

around other institutional priorities, can expect to have a better quality of culture

(Patchett et al., 2021; Sackmann, 1992).

Commitment to DEI

One of the underlying problems that while many higher education institutions

have centered and prioritized DEI, this same level of commitment has not been publicly

expressed by most athletic departments. Committing to DEI is critical for advancing

 28

organizations and people (Spaaij et al., 2018). Mowday’s (1979) mixed-methods study with

2,563 employees using the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCM) defined

organizational commitment as “the relative strengths of an individual’s identification with and

involvement in a particular organization” (p. 226). Cunningham (2008) study acknowledged that

organizations seeking to improve culture and capitalize on individual differences should be

committed to improving diversity. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, stated that “A diverse mix

of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone” and acknowledged

the importance of committing to DEI in his organization (Huxel-Bliven, 2020, p. 859). There is a

consensus notion that DEI positively influences cultures and is seen as an important catalyst to

improve organizations (Cunningham, 2008). Committing to DEI involves members accepting the

department’s goals, values, missions, and trajectory while upholding the standards (Gonzalez &

Denisi, 2009; Mowday et al., 1982). Logically, the organization and leaders must commit to

diversity initiatives (Barnhill et al., 2021). But the vision and missions of organizations are not

enough; there must be intentionality to improve and advance DEI initiatives (Bopp et al., 2014).

Cooper et al.’s (2020) study recommend that athletic departments must advance DEI by

constructing diversity and inclusion committees. These committees are essential to bridging the

gap by implementing diversity training and programming to commit and advance DEI in athletic

departments (Barnhill et al., 2021). Diversity training in the workplace is positively associated

with healthy organizational cultures, improves employee attitudes, and helps increase

organizational effectiveness (Bendick et al., 2001; Brief & Barsky, 2000; Cunningham, 2012).

However, Esen’s (2005) study suggested that only 53% of athletic departments provide diversity

training. A commitment to diversity involves athletic departments understanding the importance

 29

of diversity training and educating staff to enhance the organizational culture (Spaaij et

al., 2018).

An organization that understands the advantages of advancing DEI should be

aware of the commitment that it takes. Committing to DEI requires communicating to the

organization the “importance of cultural and individual diversity” (Fuentes et al., p. 48)

and reinforcing policies such as diversity management. Diversity management is defined

as a “process intended to create and maintain a positive work environment where the

similarities and differences of individuals are valued so that all can reach their potential

and maximize their contributions to an organization’s strategic goals and objectives”

(U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), 2005, p.1). The GAO (2005) examines

workplace diversity across the nation and emphasizes the importance of diversity

management as a commitment to DEI initiatives. Gonzalez and DeNisi’s (2009) mixed-

methods study that surveyed 26 employees at a regional restaurant acknowledged that a

commitment to diversity is more substantial when leaders engage with DEI initiatives.

A commitment to DEI initiatives is imperative to the organizational culture,

health of the organization, retention, and improves employee performance (Hanges et al.,

2006). Organizations that are committed to DEI by “creating diversity education

programs that cultivate cultural awareness, promote understanding, and respect

differences and values of many cultures” can assist employees’ workflow and improve

organizational effectiveness (Gonzalez & Denisi, 2009; p. 257). Bopp et al. (2014) study

examined athletic departments’ commitment to diversity and found organizational

effectiveness and organizational culture work in conjunction to advance DEI and should

include diversity materials to attract more minoritized individuals to the organization

 30

(Thaler-Carter, 2001). The commitment to DEI can help improve performance, employee

satisfaction and reap the benefits of differences (Cunningham, 2008). Organizations can

commit to DEI by harnessing differences such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and culture

(Bopp et al., 2014; Thaler-Carter, 2001).

Conceptual Framework

This study applied Schroeder’s (2010) “Interaction of The Elements of The Model of

Intercollegiate Athletic Department Cultures” as the primary framework combined with

interculturalism to study and analyze how to advance DEI in athletics. Schroeder's (2010) model

acknowledges that “institutional culture is the starting point for understanding an athletic

department’s culture” (p.104) and interculturalism is an approach that “facilitates the process of

diversity incorporation in mainstream culture” (Zapatao-Barrero, 2017, p. 31). The combined

frameworks are essential for understanding the interworking pieces within the athletic

departments to advance DEI. The conceptual framework enables athletic departments to

understand that in order to advance DEI, there has to be an understanding of the internal

environment (organizational culture), the institutional culture (higher education culture), and the

leader’s commitment (committing to DEI) to the department.

In Figure 1 below, Schroeder (2010) lays out the importance of institutional culture as

the beginning of learning about and understanding athletics. The institutional context and

environment are essential for understanding the operations of the athletic department (Schroeder,

2010). While athletics often seeks to operate separately from the institution and create its own

organizational culture, institutional characteristics such as private or public status, university

size, predominately white institution (PWI), Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), or Historically

Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) do influence the athletic departments’ cultures
 31

(Schroeder, 2010). The institutional culture that creates alumni, donors, and fans extend

into the external environment as a force that impacts athletic department organizational

culture.
 32

The external environment influences athletic departments. Boosters, donors, fans,

alumni, and media are critical components of the organizational culture of athletics (Duderstadt,
 33

2000; Schroeder, 2010). The external environment affects the department's operations

and makeup (Duderstadt, 2000; Noll, 2004; Southall & Nagel, 2003; Schroeder, 2010).

The influence of media and donors is at the core of how external environments can cause

fractures in athletic departments’ organizational structures, impacting the vision, goals,

and hiring (Schroeder, 2010). Donors are responsible for helping sustain athletic

departments, and the media are intertwined with the optics that combine and often affect

decisions made by the athletic department (Bennett, 2021). These decisions are usually in

line to appease donors and others of stature that assist the department.

The internal environment of athletic organizational culture has many factors. The

internal environment is represented by the mission, artifacts, subcultures, and history and

tradition of the athletic department (Schroeder, 2010). The historical aspects of tradition,

missions, and artifacts are critical components of the organizational culture but can be

challenged or improved with the rise of subcultures (Southhall et al., 2005). Subcultures

are essential components of organizational cultures and the operations of leaders.

Leadership is imperative to any organizational culture (Barnhill et al., 2021).

Schroeder (2010) acknowledges three critical factors related to leadership in athletics: the

leadership should be pinpointed, acknowledge how decisions are made and

communicated, and elect leaders while defining culture. Leaders are critical to

establishing the organization’s culture and designing the organization’s future

(Northouse, 2018). The leaders who are appointed must embody the importance of

culture and be steadfast in their approach to help the organization improve (Schroeder,

2010). Leaders must have the wherewithal to establish a sustainable and robust culture

(Nahavandi, 2006). However, research shows that athletics have been cycling leaders
 34

with maladaptive values that have negatively impacted the culture and sustained the long trend of

cultural problems (Beyer & Hannah, 2000).

Lastly, Schroeder (2010) highlights the interaction of the different environments and

elements represented in the conceptual model. The key factors and interactions include the

tension that exists in the department based on values and expectations, the tension with the

institutional culture, external culture and values of the department, and leaders’ knowledge and

building of culture (Schroeder, 2010). The valuing of leaders and leadership is at the central core

of creating an athletic department that embraces a positive organizational culture because leaders

can either “embody, change, or destroy cultures” (Schroeder, 2010, p. 106; Trice & Beyer,

1993).

Recognizing that Schroeder's (2010) model does not specifically account for the role of

DEI efforts within athletic departments, this study applied interculturalism as a secondary and

supporting framework. Schroeder's (2010) model considers how organizational culture can

impact and improve athletic departments, but interculturalism embodies the “deep diversity”

initiative to understand how to advance DEI within the context of the broader organizational

culture (Giannakoulias, 2020). Not to be confused with multiculturalism, Giannakoulias (2020)

defines interculturalism as “a way of being that helps people of different backgrounds connect

and communicate as well as an academic discipline backed by social science research that has

“the ability to shift perspectives and adapt or create new culture” (p. 72). Interculturalism has

been deemed as a “complementary strategy to create intergroup harmony in societies that are

increasingly characterized by super-diversity, mixed-origin individuals, dual identifiers, and

process of individualization and cultural hybridization” (Verkuyten et al., p. 516) The integration

of interculturalism fills in the gaps and help bolster Schroder’s (2010) model because it has the
 35

tools to model an inclusive culture that’s embedded in the principles to achieve and

advance workplace DEI (Giannakoulias, 2020). Bello’s (2017) study examining variables

that affect immigrants’ inclusiveness in society found that interculturalism “contributes to

decreasing prejudice, enhancing intercommunity relationships and, definitely, benefiting

the whole society” (p. 34). Interculturalism takes the understanding and assessment of

organizational culture characteristics into the realm of creating a cohesive, diverse,

equitable, and inclusive environment (Anderson et al., 2018).

Interculturalism works well with Schroeder’s (2010) model because it

acknowledges the importance of race, gender, and other intersections when studying how

to advance DEI in university athletic departments. Interculturalism can also have an

influence on the athletic department that can help embrace DEI as it extends to race and

ethnicity to connect with the differences of cultures (Gold et al., 2019). Yogeeswaran et

al. (2020) found that interculturalism is a “distinct diversity ideology” that can unify and

improve a sense of belonging in the workplace (p. 8). Interculturalism emphasizes the

importance of dialog, an individual’s culture, identity, and commitment to others which is

critical to the advancement of DEI in university athletic departments.

Schroeder’s (2010) model, combined with interculturalism, creates a conceptual

framework that is directly aligned with the goals of this study because together, they

provide guidance on approaches to analyzing the culture of university athletic

departments in ways that can advance DEI. Schroeder’s (2010) model examines elements

of culture such as institutional culture, external environment, internal environment,

leadership, and power, which does not include the importance of DEI. Interculturalism

brings about the significance of DEI, which acknowledges the importance of the makeup
 36

of the people in the culture. For Schroeder's (2010) model to be effective in this study, there had

to be a conflation of another framework that embraces the differences of people and cultures in a

workplace setting. Interculturalism aligns with this study as it promotes the importance of

individual differences in organizational culture to help form an environment that is centered

around embracing DEI.

In order to advance DEI, there must be knowledge centered around the interworking and

unique operations of athletic departments. These frameworks are designed to equip researchers,

leaders, and visionaries looking to bring about systemic changes and reform within athletics.

Research shows that the advancement of DEI is complex, but the most effective approach centers

around the key issues of organizational culture, organizational effectiveness, understanding the

higher education paradigm to advance DEI, the athletic culture, and fully committing to DEI in

the organization (Cunningham, 2008, 2012; Denison & Mishra, 1995; Doherty & Chelladurai,

1999; Hartnell et al., 2011). For these reasons, Schroeder’s (2010) elements of athletic

department culture and key guiding questions play a central role in the conceptualizing and

designing of the present study, combined with interculturalism that provides the diversity, equity,

and inclusion lens to understanding how to advance DEI in athletics. The questions in

Schroeder’s (2010) model will be incorporated directly into the data collection and interview

process (see Appendix A). In sum, the use of this framework will provide a deeper understanding

of how organizational culture, leadership, and decision-making can be improved to advance DEI

efforts within college athletic departments.

 37

Chapter III

Research Design and Methodology

This qualitative study is a single-site case study that applied thematic analysis as a

means of examining the organizational culture at NRU to discover strategies to advance

DEI in college athletics (Clarke & Braun, 2017). A case study “explores a real-life,

contemporary bounded system (a case) or multiple bounded systems (cases) over time,

through detailed, in-depth data collection involving multiple sources of information, and

reports a case description and case themes” (Creswell, 2013, p. 97).

A single-site case study design is appropriate for the current study, given the goal

of determining how and why an athletic department became nationally recognized for its

DEI accomplishments. Yin (2006) explains that a case study allows the researcher to

examine a particular topic that is difficult to assess through other methods. In addition, a

single-site case study allows the researcher to focus on the richness, nuances, and

particularities of the central phenomenon and is advantageous for studying a specific

collective group of people (Gustafsson, 2017). This research approach will be used to

answer the two guiding research questions: (1) What steps did this athletic department

take to improve DEI? (2) What role did executive leadership and mid-level employees

play in the advancement of DEI within this athletic department? The intended outcome of

this research was to generate findings, recommendations, and a blueprint that other

college athletic departments can use to advance DEI efforts.

Institutional Context

The context for this case study is Northeast Research University (NRU, a pseudonym).

NRU is considered one of the best public institutions in its state and is classified as an R1
 38

institution. NRU is ranked top 30 for international students and has a 14:1 overall student-faculty

ratio. In 2021, there was a total enrollment of more than 21,000 undergraduate students at NRU.

NRU was selected using criterion sampling (Patton, 2002) and was chosen because it is one of

several athletic departments awarded the NCAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion; because of

its work to advance DEI in athletics by hiring practices, professional development, programming

initiatives, community outreach, promoting policies, programs, and practices that advance DEI;

and because of their comprehensive and campus-impacting programming that increases

opportunities for minoritized individuals. NRU is classified by the NCAA as Division-I for the

purposes of intercollegiate athletics.

Upon review of the organizational chart, NRU’s athletic department was comprised of

approximately 179 employees as of Spring 2022. There are a total of 30 departments/functional

areas within the athletic department and a total of 14 sports (see Appendix B), some examples of

which include: football, softball, women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, wrestling,

and women's swimming and diving. The athletic department serves approximately 217 male and

170 female student-athletes.

Participant Selection

For participant selection, a purposive, non-randomized sampling strategy was used

(Babbie, 1998). Executive leaders and mid-level employees within the NRU athletics department

were identified by using the NRU website. The NRU webpages contain titles and role

descriptions that will assist with identifying executive leaders and mid-level employees within

the department. The criteria for participants were as follows: (a) leadership or mid-level position

with director and or associate/assistant director-level title and responsibilities, (b) at least three

years of experience working in the department, and (c) experience with DEI programs such as
 39

workshops, training, and lectures. With these criteria in mind, there were a total of nine

interviewees from NRU initially recruited for this study: two executive leaders and seven mid-

level employees. The executive leaders were selected based on their leadership roles within the

organization. They were involved with setting the vision, overseeing the culture, and advancing

DEI in the athletic department, which directly aligns with the purpose and goals of this study.

The mid-level employees were selected because they are valuable members of the organization

who can assist with understanding how to advance DEI. All these individuals were recruited via

email and provided information about the study (e.g., study overview, IRB approval

information). Pseudonyms are used to ensure confidentiality, and a consent document approval

from IRB was signed by each participant.

Data Collection

The data collection for this qualitative study included an interview guide with follow-up

questions. The list of interview questions is presented in Appendix A. The interview protocol

development was guided by Schroeder's (2010) “Beginning Questions or Investigating Culture in

Intercollegiate Athletic Department” (p. 103), as well as key components of interculturalism.

Drawing from the conceptual frameworks and prior literature, the interview questions focus on

issues related to the employees’ work experiences, DEI initiatives, leadership, and organizational

culture. These questions allowed participants to explain how they were able to advance DEI in

their athletic department. Each study participant was interviewed one-on-one via Zoom. Each

interview lasted approximately one hour.

Also, a document analysis of NRU’s DEI reports, the NCAA award application,

and feedback/reviews from the NCAA on the award application were used as resources.

Document analysis, supplementary to the overall research method thematic analysis,

 40

involves “reviewing or evaluating documents” to “elicit meaning, gain understanding, and

develop empirical knowledge” (Bowen, 2009, p. 27). The documents were critical for exploring

how NRU advances DEI, the requirements for the NCAA award, and reviews from the

application as to how NRU achieved the Diversity and Inclusion Award. Document analysis is a

primary source of qualitative case studies (Yin, 1994). The documents were used to contribute to

the overall analysis and assisted with organizing data for themes and categories during thematic

analysis (Labuschagne, 2003). The document analysis included skimming, reading, and

interpreting documents from DEI reports that combined elements of the thematic analysis

(Bowen, 2009). The documents are relevant to understanding how NRU advances DEI within the

athletic department.

Data Analysis

The interview data collected about NRU’s athletic department were examined using

thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is appropriate for examining interviews to “summarize the

data content, to identify, and interpret key, but not necessarily all, features of the data, guided by

the research question” (Clarke & Braun, 2017, p. 297). Thematic analysis allows for a robust,

sophisticated, reflective, deliberate, and thorough qualitative analysis of NRU’s athletic

department organizational structure and climate (Braun & Clarke, 2014).

Thematic analysis is a method to examine people, groups, or organizations to provide,

identify, analyze, and report themes (Nowell et al., 2017). Thus, the thematic analysis provides

the structure to understand the culture of NRU’s athletic department to gain perspectives from

employees to move from interviews to themes extracted from participants. University websites

and document analysis contributed to fill in gaps for data analysis. For this study, it is important

to understand the relationship between data analysis and interpretation because they are
 41

interwoven between the culture of NRU and the employees. Thematic analysis is about the

interpretation of culture by interpretating the text or stories of employees. It also requires the

researcher to highlight the importance and significance of NRU’s organizational culture and

employee’s perspectives through themes.

Once the interviews were completed, thematic analysis of the data took place in six

phases. The six phases were (1) becoming familiar with data, (2) generating initial coding, (3)

searching for themes, (4) reviewing themes, (5) defining and naming themes, and (6) producing

the report (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Nowell et al., 2017). Researcher triangulation of the data

occurred in phases 1-5. Phase 1 included reviewing documents and transcripts from interviews

(Nowell, 2017). Also, these phases helped establish trustworthiness and accountability in the

research due to reviews embedded in the process.

The first phase of data analysis included listening and reviewing notes from the

interviews. The interviews were recorded using the simple recorder on my MacBook. During the

interviews, I wanted to capture the essence of raw emotions, tones, and descriptions of the

questions that were answered. I listened to each interview recording five times to become more

familiar with the data. This allowed me to be more immersed in the data to improve my insights

about the topic (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). After listening to the interviews, I placed them into

Trint, an audio transcription software, to begin the coding process. The second phase of the data

analysis process was generating initial codes from the interviews and notes. I continued to revisit

the transcriptions, audio, and notes to generate proper codes. The coding process allowed me to

develop ideas about the data and identify “texts and attach labels” related to themes (King,

2004). I identified the codes manually with notecards going through the data line by line labeling

keywords. After labeling keywords, all data was coded and collated to begin the process of
 42

searching for themes. During phase three, searching for themes was done with an inductive

analysis to allow the codes to be data-driven. Inductive analysis is the “process of coding the

data without trying to fit it into preexisting coding frame or the researcher's analytic

preconceptions” (Nowell et al., 2017, p. 8). The themes captured were important to the overall

research question and the engagement of the process allowed for the capturing of the themes

(Braun & Clarke, 2006). Overall, the themes generated were most common among all

participants to build an understanding of the investigated phenomena. During the fourth phase,

the themes captured were reviewed “for each theme to consider whether they appear to form a

coherent pattern” (Nowell et al., 2017, p.9). While themes were captured and reviewed, they

were consistently analyzed throughout, as coding is a process that is ongoing (Braun & Clarke,

2006). However, the themes in this phase were relevant, broad, and specific enough to capture

ideas and summarize the data. During the fifth phase, the themes captured were expounded upon

as to why they were of interest. A detailed analysis of the themes identifies the story that each

theme tells and how they fit into the overall data set in relation to the research questions (Braun

& Clarke, 2006). In this phase, I coded all the data and revisited the themes twice with a

constructive lens before the themes were finalized. During the sixth and final phase, after the

themes were finalized, I began to write up the final analysis. The final write-up focal point was

to “clearly communicate the logical processes by which findings were developed in a way that is

accessible to a critical reader, so the claims made in relation to the data set are rendered credible

and believable” (Nowell et al., 2017, p.11).

Trustworthiness in Qualitative Research

Qualitative research establishes trustworthiness in research that ensures the following:

credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Guba, 1981; Mills, 2018).

 43

Trustworthiness is a way for the researcher to establish to the readers that the findings are

accurate and true (Nowell et al., 2017). For this study, member checking was used to verify and

corroborate reliability and validity. Member checking is “a technique for exploring the

credibility of results” or the “data or results are returned to participants to check for accuracy and

resonance with their experiences” (Birt et al., 2016; p. 1802). After initial coding, participants

reviewed data to ensure accuracy before the next steps of phases were taken.

Ethics is critical to building participant-researcher trust (Mills, 2018). Before all

interviews, participants had a better understanding of the researcher, the research concept, and

the ramifications of consenting to participate in this research. For this study, participants had the

ability to decline or request removal from this study at any time before the paper was completed.

There was ample time for participants to decide before or after the study to opt-out. The

interviews were recorded on a MacBook Pro laptop using the Simple Recorder app. All

transcripts were saved and stored on the researcher’s personal laptop with encryption and locked

in a home office for safety and security. Lastly, if there were any gaps in the interviews, resumes,

curriculum vitae, and other fact-checking information, follow-up questioning was used.

Limitations

This case study does not account for all NCAA Diversity and Inclusion award winners,

which could lead to a different stance and outlook on culture, organization, programs, mentoring,

and DEI. Also, this study does not include other Division I, II, II, and National Association of

Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) institutions governed under the NCAA. The data may be

limited due to an examination of a single institution. This study analyzed a single institution to

see how the athletic department was able to receive the award and implement facets of the

criteria for application. The limitation of this study comes from the focus of work on a particular
 44

institution and does not involve the scope of DEI work within athletic departments at other

institutions. While perhaps not a limitation per say, it is worth noting the views of mid-level

employees often differed from executive leaders, as the executive leaders were generally more

optimistic about the department’s DEI efforts compared to the staff who reported to them.

Positionality

For me, as a former student-athlete, athletic administration innerworkings were

intriguing. I was enamored with the operations and business side of athletics and how the

relationships of people influenced the department. In my years as a football player, I was able to

become friends with the director of football operations and received a glimpse into his work, that

included operations, planning, budgeting, and staff relations. We had conversations about

organizational culture, development, and how the athletic department continues to work to

change the landscape of athletics. The athletic department was focused on being more diverse

and providing more inclusivity. This conversation shifted my focus in athletics to DEI initiatives.

As my education continues, finding ways to assist athletic departments with guiding principles

and/or models to advance DEI is at the core of my research.

My position as a Black male navigating the intersections that are stereotyped in athletics

may influence biases to empower and increase the representation of minoritized individuals in

athletic leadership positions. In my current role, witnessing the lack of diversity in leadership

positions causes me to use my voice to help create change in higher education athletic

administration. My goal is to continue the trailblazing mentality of minoritized men and women

who initiated and continue to push the importance of DEI advancement in athletics to improve

the culture and organization. Spending my entire life in sports and witnessing the lack of

progress for minoritized people in leadership positions has impacted the way I see athletics. The
 45

lack of opportunities, the lack of appreciation of differences, and the inequitable hiring practices

that remain rooted in athletics need to be uprooted and replaced with new and improved systems

that analyze the importance of advancing DEI.

Lastly, as the Director of Player Development for a Division I (D1) Power 5 football

team, I am conscious of the biases that this layer adds to potentially influencing participants’

interview responses. My current place of employment is a top 15 academic institution, top 10 in

diversity, and athletically a DI program in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), part of the Power

5 conference. The Power 5 conferences include the Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference,

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the Pac-12 (PAC 12), and the SEC. NRU is currently not part

of a Power 5 conference, and I recognize that the conditions, environments, and resources within

NRU’s athletic department are different from those within my department. Therefore, throughout

the data collection and interview process, I intentionally did not make direct comparisons

between DEI efforts at my institution and those at NRU.

 46

Chapter IV

Findings

The nine study participants included four African American men, one African American

woman, two White men, and two White women. Each interviewee spoke in detail about their

experiences in NRU’s athletic department, the alignment of athletics and the institution, and their

thoughts on DEI topics. After coding, four themes were generated that captured all or most of the

participants’ experiences within the NRU athletic department: (1) Translating DEI Rhetoric into

Reality, (2) Eradicating Silos, (3) Communicating the DEI Vision, (4) Leveraging DEI

Momentum to Create Meaningful Change. Collectively, these findings provide constructive

opportunities for university athletic departments to meaningfully advance their DEI efforts. In

the sections that follow, organized by major themes, the participant quotes selected examine

ways to advance DEI.

Translating DEI Rhetoric into Reality

A key component of the NCAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion is a clear and strong

alignment between the mission and values of the athletic department and those of the university

at large. The interview data pertaining to NRU’s athletic department's alignment with the broader

university identified some strengths, as well as areas of disconnect. The university and the

athletic department's mission statements both emphasize strengthening people, a commitment to

education, upholding and increasing integrity, and dedication to service, campus, and the

community. Tiffany, a mid-level employee, echoed alignment with the university from the

athletic department by stating that:

Since we are a research university, we take a lot of pride in our mission and focus on

individuals in our program. We have a lot of visiting international professors and a lot of
 47

international students, which aligns with our student athlete population. We align with the

institution from collaborative and communicative aspects, especially with the office of

DEI. Our relationship with the DEI department helps us to keep the perspective of

advancing diversity, inclusion and equity in our athletic program.

Tom echoed similar sentiments about the alignment of the athletic department and the institution:

The university and athletics want to be leaders in the educational space. And that's

identifying potential and, helping push people to reach their potential. In athletics, we

want to be successful on and off the field. We want to help develop people so they can

leave NRU better than when they came in to lead the next generation, contributing and

giving back. So we're making it better for the next person.

“Making it better for the next person” is critical to advancing DEI and helping programs

to ascend while also understanding that the university is here to educate young men and women

to achieve their highest potential in life. Tracie stated that “we are definitely in alignment with

the institution. Education is a big bucket of ours to enrich our student athletes, but also from a

diversity and inclusion standpoint.” The acknowledgment of enhancing student experience

continued with Mike explaining:

The student athlete experience at NRU aims to be transformative. The athletic department

plays a huge role in providing those experiences and bringing people together in different

settings and capacities in all walks of life to gain opportunities and future growth.

The alignment between university and athletic department's mission and values can play

a key role in delivering a high-quality education, transforming lives, and advancing DEI for staff

and students. But while some interviewees believed there was a strong connection between the

university and athletic department mission in terms of DEI, most Black participants in the study,
 48

except for Brand, had a different response. When asked about institutional and athletic

department alignment, participant Brian stated, “In theory, yes, but in practice, no. There are a

lot of conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion. There are meetings with campus

leaders, but all of those things never tend to happen in practice.” Quentin shared a similar view

and stated, “The theory and the ideas are there. We just have to put them into practice. If we do

that, then we will go a long way.” These sentiments were also shared by Nick, who explained,

“There is a clear partnership with the institution, but it all seems to be manifested in words and

not action.” The divergent viewpoints on the (dis)connection between DEI efforts at the

university and athletic department level suggest a tension between rhetoric and reality. Most of

the Black study participants felt that language about advancing DEI often resulted in minimal

action.

The NCAA DEI award criteria, discussed previously in Chapter 1, examines an athletic

departments’ leadership, infrastructure, evaluation and assessment, education, and collaboration.

Study participants explained that NRU was able to win the award because of its DEI mission

statement, website, leadership, programming, and training. NRU’s athletic department's

Diversity and Inclusion webpage, for example, includes five bullet points that explain its

commitment to diversity and inclusion across all aspects of athletics to inform employees and

others of the organization's mission and values. But while participants noted the positive strides

the department has made in terms of DEI, the public-facing language about DEI (e.g., from

webpage) did not always translate into the realities of daily life in the department. When asked

about the employee composition within the department, Mike stated that “we are not being

reflective of our student body. From both a race and a gender perspective.” This comment is

indicative of the lack of hiring more minoritized individuals within the organization. Mike
 49

continued by saying, "We don't have many Black staff members, but we have a majority

of Black student athletes while the majority of staff and employees are white.” Tiffany

echoed similar sentiments as she stated, “We need to do a much better job than we are

doing. I think we do a great job of getting a diverse candidate pool, but when you look

around, we have one Black female administrator.” Moreover, Tracie stated “We are

making efforts in trying to diversify our [hiring] pool. It is not hard [to hire more African

Americans in the department]. However, most of it is trying to sell [candidates on

working at] NRU.”

Relatedly, some participants spoke specifically about having a Black male in the

top executive role within the athletic department. Brand explained “The athletic director

is an African American male, but then again, what else is there an opportunity for others?

There's more work to be done.” Referencing the notion of ‘tokenism’, Brian

acknowledged that “When you have a Black person at the head of the ship, you think that

you have covered all bases on DEI.” Nick echoed, “Just because there is a Black male in

charge, it allows you to create words and theories with no plan that gives you DEI

comfort. The AD is the only one that connects with on-campus boards, no one else.” The

participants acknowledged the importance of improving intercultural competency and not

having a Black male as the AD be the end-all-be-all of DEI efforts. These participants

were critical of this potential tokenism because they felt it could be a hindrance to

advancing overall DEI in the athletic department.

Overall, most study participants acknowledged that NRU’s athletic department

had made major strides in terms of advancing DEI in recent years. But it was clear that

simply being recognized with the NCAA DEI award was insufficient, and in some ways,
 50

can create a false sense of the department ‘having arrived’ in terms of DEI efforts. There is still

critical work to be done, and interviewees acknowledged an ongoing need to continue translating

DEI rhetoric into reality.

Eradicating Silos

While NRU has been the poster institution for advancing DEI in many ways, they are

also conscious of areas that need improvement to continue raising the bar in college athletics.

Specifically, participants acknowledged that silos need to be eradicated from within the athletic

department. Most athletic departments have marketing, recreation, facilities, and compliance

functional areas within the larger organizational structure of the department. But as Nick and

Quentin stated, at NRU, there is often very little interaction between the broader department and

staff in their specific functional area. Sometimes this led to the feeling that staff in their

functional area were not fully included in, or a part of, the entire athletic department. The

participants discussed how the athletic department has been siloed for quite some time and how

removing silos should be a point of emphasis for the department. Tracie explained:

I feel like we're very siloed here [in the NRU athletic department], and we're really

trying to work to break those down. But I think our institution is a little weird where

we've had people that have been here for a long time and stuck in positions where they

are comfortable. This creates siloed areas.

The siloed areas can halt the building of relationships and advancement of DEI. Mike expounded

on the siloed areas by saying “the executive staff, [already know] what's going on” and

acknowledges the top-down approach where the information stays at the top, but he believed it

could be “an opportunity to present more of what's going on” in the department. In many cases,

Mike saw these silos or disconnects within the athletic department based on job titles and roles,
 51

where “information is discussed at higher-level [but] stays siloed.” Tiffany, however, reiterated

these silos are not only at the executive cabinet level:

I feel a little bit siloed as departments here because we're not collaborating with other

areas much. There could be, for example, opportunities with ticketing and marketing. We

don't have any relationship with them. Still, maybe there are people on our staff that

could give them some ideas about marketing strategies that we can collaborate on.

The separation across different functional areas and offices within the department was evident in

the data. If a compliance area staff member, for example, is working on a specific action item,

they take it to their immediate supervisor, and then it gets taken to the department leadership

level. This chain of communication has contributed to maintaining silos and hindering

collaboration within the department.

Eradicating silos within NRU’s athletic department is critical to advancing DEI because

the silos are a part of the current organizational culture. Mark identified that the silos are

apparent in the department and that removing silos could make it more collaborative. He stated:

Let's say a mid-level employee has an idea. It might be that you can get it to your direct

supervisor. But then where it goes from there is kind of murky. This is how we are siloed

and need to be more collaborative to continue to advance the culture.

The confines of staff members communicating only with the direct supervisor and the people in

their respective areas in the department keep DEI from advancing because of the lack of

collaboration, communication, interaction, and engagement among all individuals in the

organization. As a result, the silos take away the ability for others to interact, which results in the

opinions and experiences being stagnant as they are stuck within the silos of particular areas in

the department.
 52

The silos within NRU’s athletic department were also acknowledged by Patricia, as she

has seen the smaller functional areas are often the most siloed and isolated. However, an

examination of the culture shows that the entire department is siloed. Tracie stated that “there are

some areas that empower people and others that do not,” which points to the importance of

removing silos to give power to everyone in the department, not just those with higher titles.

Communicating the DEI Vision

While silos have created some feelings of isolation and disconnect within NRU’s athletic

department, participants were adamant that communication needs to improve to advance DEI.

The silos in the athletic department have seemed to trickle down and created a lack of clear

communication, which has been shown to inhibit the advancement of DEI in the athletic

department. DEI-related communication with employees, the campus, and the community was

discussed with the study participants. Mike, a member of the department’s executive leadership

team, stated, "The internal communication with senior staff members occurs once a week, and

that messaging is shared through the organization.” But many mid-level employees felt the

communication about DEI-related issues and initiatives had been inconsistent. Tiffany stated,

“The department is close, and there are excellent working relationships, but I think beyond that,

there's not as much communication and collaboration as [there] could be from the executive

staff.”

Brand, another mid-level employee, recalled a specific communication problem between

an executive leader and another mid-level employee. Brand stated, “I am not trying to be

negative and not sure what happened with the [executive leader] and the [mid-level employee] at

the time, I think it was just differences in philosophies.” These types of individual differences in

philosophies about DEI efforts and projects within the athletic department are at the core of why
 53

communication is important when trying to advance DEI. Importantly, several interviewees

emphasized the idea that meaningful communication should ultimately lead to action. But as

Brian stated, that type of communication “requires you to do more and that does not sit well with

a lot of people. There are a lot of comfortable people in the organization.” Similarly, Quentin

explained, “More communication is needed, but there has to be a level of commitment” centered

on equity and inclusion in the organization. Nick shared similar views, noting that while the

department had indeed received multiple awards for DEI efforts, there “needs to be more direct

lines and opportunities for all to communicate key aspects” of the DEI vision, instead of just one

or two key executive leaders.

Tracie shared another specific communication issue related to hiring, explaining “We are

not good at onboarding. People get here, and it's like, oh, we hired somebody, I didn't know.”

This acknowledgment by Tracie, an executive leader, underlines the importance of onboarding

and how that is critical to communication with everyone knowing and being on the same page

with the hire, but also to educate new employees on the culture of the organization and the

emphasis placed on DEI.

Improving communication is critical to the advancement of DEI, as having everyone on

the same page can work to the department's advantage. Communicating with individuals in the

department about the level of importance of DEI, as Brand stated, “helps us to uphold the

standards of the institution. We receive periodic email updates from the “Together Force” or our

SWA (senior women’s administrator) regarding initiatives.” The emails are intended to help the

athletic department stay connected with broader institution initiatives. The communication with

campus is critical to the growth and advancement of employees and the department to continue

to understand how to advance DEI, but also to relate institutional knowledge and the larger scale
 54

of society and the state's emphasis on inclusion. Tracie stated that “we have a really good [DEI]

foundation and, you know, great campus partners. Part of this is looking at the diversity and

inclusion [website] and many things we were doing, but it wasn't underneath one umbrella.”

The athletic department placing DEI initiatives under one umbrella helped to connect all

facets of their programs and includes broader campus voice, as Mike acknowledged: “Tracie

keeps campus in the loop of the things we're doing to make sure that we're maintaining

inclusiveness and that they know the different initiatives we have going on.” But under the

current athletic department structure, there is one individual primarily responsible for official

communication regarding DEI efforts and initiatives. Quentin stated that “Tracie cannot do all

the DEI work by herself, especially as a white woman.” There were some inherent challenges

related to having a single athletic department employee, who is a white woman, led the DEI

communication efforts in department that is predominately comprised of white employees. The

interview data revealed that Black employees within the department often thought more could be

done to communicate and advance DEI. This speaks not only to the importance of having clear

and effective communication about DEI, but also to understanding how all employees across the

department feel about the DEI culture and initiatives.

Leveraging DEI Momentum to Create Meaningful Change

The aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2020 drastically

changed the landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion in society. Many organizations began to

place DEI at the forefront of their initiatives, including NRU’s athletic department. Tom

discussed that recently they created the “Together Force” in the wake of George Floyd’s death to

improve and advance DEI in the athletic department. The “Together Force” acknowledges the
 55

societal issues that affect minoritized individuals and provides them with a voice in the athletic

department to combat racial and systemic issues. Tom discussed that:

We asked how do we bring our student athletes together? How do we bring our staff

together? How do we have tough conversations? And through the [Together Force]

committee, we received great education and knowledge. We have [had] a bunch of great

speakers and cool projects come out of the Together Force.

Togetherness is a critical aspect of advancing DEI and is essential to harnessing

interculturalism in the department. The “Together Force” was created from the momentum of

George Floyd’s death to create meaningful change because Quentin acknowledged that “there

were not many interactions with togetherness and commitment to educating the department on

DEI issues” before 2020. Brand shared similar sentiments that the "Together Force" committee

helps bring inclusiveness to the department by addressing issues, concerns, and topics around

DEI, and has “created a better sense of unity in the department.”

These statements shed light on the recent changes with the implementation of committees

and programming. Patricia echoed that prior to George Floyd’s death, “there were multiple

efforts they looked into for DEI, but nothing really manifested.” The participants’ statements

highlight the impact felt around the world of George’s murder that resulted in meaningful

changes in NRU’s athletic department. Brian stated that “things should have been done for the

better after George Floyd’s death. This was a time to get things in order to assist Black and

Brown people in America. Unfortunately, they were all just words with little action.” The

“Together Force” programming sparked DEI conversations in NRU’s athletic department and

focused on connectivity. Mike stated:

 56

The programming here [NRU] is more than just checking the box because we have good

people in our “Together Force” who want to instill positive and meaningful change to

make us better. I think that's the critical piece to programming and advancing DEI in any

space.

However, Tracie shared while the training is important and beneficial, she is concerned about the

next steps of implementing programs:

I think we ought to be at a realization that we can only take people so far in their training

and education around diversity and inclusion. I can give you the basics, or we can give

you the basics. We all have to talk about language and definitions. People have to be

comfortable where they are at and realize they have biases. However, after the training,

you must decide what growth you want to have.

Tracie takes programming and training one step further as employees in the athletic department's

actions are equally important to the next steps in training. The athletic department’s momentum

with DEI after the death of George Floyd has created meaningful change with the “Together

Force,” but there is only so much athletic departments can do alone. Tracie stated:

We encourage additional training. I have some people attend every training we provide.

They'll do implicit bias because they are so hungry for it because they know it helps them

not only grow personally, but it helps them grow professionally and understand their staff

coaches better.

Multiple study participants spoke to the importance of valuing and embracing cultural

diversity, which is outlined on the webpages as a key commitment of the athletic department.

Tom stated:
 57

I think that [this attitude] is something that we're [NRU] always working on. If you look

nationally, that seems to be the biggest hot-button topic or issue that's facing America

right now. And that's what we're trying to do with our "Together Force" by giving our

employees opportunities to speak with each other with their guard down a little bit.

Everyone just walks around with their guards up, afraid of what they're going to say or do

that will offend someone. And that doesn't help anyone. It doesn't help anyone grow.

We're all about growth here.

This appeared to be a strength of the department, as multiple interviewees provided examples of

how the department has strived to embrace and celebrate cultural differences, which Brand

believed “helps to bond and build communities on a deeper level.” Tracie described how an

employee who identifies as LGBTQ+ discussed her intersectional identities on social media

during Pride Month, the acceptance she felt from colleagues, and how grateful the employee was

to “work at a university that embraces her differences.” The embracing of cultural differences is

what athletic departments should strive for, as Tiffany stated: “Developing a rapport and trusting

people, regardless of what they look like or what they believe, our job is to be there and support

them.” The employee who shared on social media has been with the institution for 20+ years and

found the strength and courage to share her LGBTQ+ identity publicly because of the acceptance

she felt from her NRU athletic department co-workers.

In sum, while department committees, trainings, and workshops were described as

important, many participants were adamant that there must be ongoing, intentional efforts from

the people within the organization who want to significantly advance DEI. While the participants

were clear on what needed to be done on a continuing basis, NRU’s department has already set

some good initiatives in motion to advance DEI. There were concrete and tangible examples
 58

such as emails, workshops, trainings, conference meetings, campus alignment and construction

of the “Together Force” that led to increased discussions about racial justice that placed value on

organizational culture, interculturalism, and inclusivity. As NRU’s athletic department continues

to move forward with its DEI efforts, the data made clear it would require a collective team

effort and full participation by all department employees to bring about the sustained changes the

participants hoped to see.

 59

Chapter V

Discussion and Implications

The purpose of this study was to examine NRU’s athletic department that,

according to the NCAA (2021b), has achieved excellence in DEI and to explore factors

that other athletic departments can adopt to improve their organizational culture. Using a

qualitative case study approach, I interviewed nine participants who were executive

leaders or mid-level employees in NRU’s athletic department. I used thematic analysis to

understand the experience of the participants and as a means of generating common

themes from the interview data. The findings provided a wealth of knowledge and

insights about advancing DEI within university athletic departments.

This study examined two research questions, (1) What steps did this athletic

department take to improve DEI?; and (2) What role did executive leadership and mid-

level employees play in the advancement of DEI within this athletic department? These

two questions were influential in examining and understanding NRU’s athletic

department’s organizational culture and how they advanced DEI. Regarding the first

research question, NRU’s athletic department started the “Together Force” commitee to

create meaningful changes to advance DEI. Also, the athletic department hosts various

DEI workshops with invited guest speakers and sends DEI emails related to campus and

the surrounding communities. The emails are intended to provide opportunities and to

keep employees connected with the mission and vision of advancing DEI. The “Together

Force” is a diverse DEI committee that connects to tackle, educate, improve, and advance

DEI in the athletic department. Represented on the committee is a member from each

functional area. The participants discussed how the “Together Force” helped advance
 60

DEI efforts in the athletic department by sending emails, creating workshops, setting up

conference meetings, and making a conscious effort to align with campus. The “Together

Force” was a significant step to NRU’s athletic department advancing DEI.

The second question, (2) What role did executive leadership and mid-level employees

play in the advancement of DEI within this athletic department? According to participants at

NRU, the relationship between the executive and mid-level employees was a central issue in

advancing DEI. Participants, especially mid-level employees, discussed how more collaboration,

communication, and connection between executive and mid-level employees are needed to

further advance DEI within the athletic department. Many of the mid-level participants discussed

how the department is siloed and there is often inconsistent communication from the executive

leaders. The data showed some clear communication gaps and underscored the need for the

different functional areas within the department to work more collaboratively. However, many

mid-level employees felt that executive leaders often work independently to advance DEI by

making decisions without the involvement of mid-level employees. Therefore, regarding the

second research question, the findings revealed that mid-level employees often did not play a

central role in the advancement of DEI in NRU’s athletic department. Instead, these employees

were often resigned to following direction provided from the executive leaders. These issues

highlight the complexities of institutional and structural issues influencing DEI efforts, as the

executive leaders have overall control of the department. The institutional and structural DEI

issues are where contradictions and challenges arose, as the executive leaders often implemented

their vision, ideas, and ideologies for best DEI practices without collaboration and substantive

input from mid-level employees. According to the data, this disconnect around DEI efforts
 61

caused some frustration among mid-level employees and underscores the complexities

and messiness of advancing DEI within university athletic departments.

Participants discussed how the relationship between the athletic department and

broader university shaped DEI. Additionally, interviewees described how the department

has approached implementing new ideas to embrace cultural, racial, and sexual

differences. They also discussed the importance of communication, hiring practices,

removing silos, and capitalizing on current DEI momentum to generate sustained change.

Importantly, participants recognized that there were still opportunities for improving DEI

efforts within this athletic department, suggesting that receiving the NCAA Award for

Diversity and Inclusion does not mean the work is done. In the following sections, I

discuss the findings in relation to the empirical literature on DEI and organizational

culture. I also situate the key findings in relation to the guiding conceptual frameworks,

propose recommendations for practice, and outline directions for future research.

Leadership, Communication, and Culture

Schroeder’s (2010) “Interaction of The Elements of The Model of Intercollegiate

Athletic Department Cultures” examined different elements of culture for intercollegiate

athletic departments. A key element discussed was the impact of leadership. Research

studies show that leadership is an essential dynamic for organizational culture and

advancing DEI in university athletic departments (Martin & Siehl, 1983; Northouse,

2018; Schein, 2004; Schroder, 2010; Trice & Beyer, 1993). Schroeder’s (2010) model

asks the question “What does the organization expect from its leaders?” Schein (2004)

found that leaders should be able to establish, manage, and execute a healthy culture. The

execution of culture should embed the importance of DEI and embrace intercultural
 62

differences (Zapatao-Barrero, 2017), all of which come through the form of communication

(Schneider et al., 2013). Leaders who are focused on having a healthy athletic department should

understand that communicating the department’s expectations on DEI to the employees is a core

advantage of advancing DEI (Patchett et al., 2021; Sackmann, 1992; Schneider et al., 2013).

Relatedly, many of the key findings from the data analysis examined the role that

executive leaders played in communicating the DEI vision and creating a process that is essential

to improving the organizational culture (Barnhill et al., 2021; Cunningham, 2012; Duderstadt,

2000; Martin & Siehl, 1983; Nahavandi, 2006). The leader's vision needs to be communicated

and should include the importance of intercultural competency as a means to support minoritized

individuals in the organization. Doherty and Chelladurai (1999) stated that an “organizational

culture that values diversity is manifested, for example, in open, two-way communication, a

flexible and equitable reward system, multilevel decision making, and open group membership”

(p. 369). Kezar (2014) also agrees that two-way communication is critical to the "strong ties

among people within the organization…to foster change more than weak ties because change is

typically non-routine and usually involves more complex thinking” (p. 99). The communication

should reach beyond the level of executive and senior groups, becoming all-encompassing and

practiced throughout the organization. Findings from the current study, along with several prior

studies (Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999; Kezar, 2014), support Schroeder's (2010) view that

leaders’ ability to clearly articulate the university athletic department’s vision is vital to

organizational success. Similarly, collective findings from these studies corroborate the central

role that leaders play in developing the athletic department’s culture to advance DEI.

Schroeder’s (2010) study acknowledged the impact of institutional and athletic alignment

as essential for success in athletic departments by stating that “institutional culture emerged as a
 63

critical determinant of an athletic department’s culture” (p. 114). Consistent with the

findings from this study, prior research has found that advancing DEI in a university

athletic setting requires an understanding of culture and how it aligns with the broader

institution (Cunningham, 2005, 2012; Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999). While we see that

many athletic departments are sorely behind as it pertains to advancing DEI, it is critical

for leaders in the department to align and intentionally connect with the broader campus

(Schroeder, 2010; Tierney, 2008). This study found that an alignment with the broader

campus, through means such as mission statements and DEI programs and practices, are

essential to an athletic department’s advancement of DEI. The stronger the alignment that

athletic departments have with the institution, the more they can learn, share, and

collaborate on how to advance DEI with the institutional culture (Barnett, 2020; Doherty

& Chelladurai, 1999; Schroeder, 2010).

The NCAA (2021b) Diversity and Inclusion Award criteria include what is called

“collaboration” which speaks to the importance of athletic departments having strong

institutional alignment (NCAA, 2021b). The “collaboration” has been shown to increase

DEI initiatives, improve resources, and emphasize knowledge on how to alleviate issues

that athletic departments endure such as the lack of representation of minority women

and men in the departments, racial undertones, racial rupture, and systemic issues (Brief

& Barsky, 2000; Cunningham, 2012; Finkel et al., 2003).

Schroeder's (2010) framework provides important insights about the advancement

of organizational culture in athletic departments and, overall, the findings from this study

support the model. However, as previously noted, a limitation of the framework is that it

does not give explicit attention to DEI or interculturalism within athletic departments. In
 64

applying interculturalism as a supporting conceptual framework, there were numerous instances

from the interview data where intercultural competency (a key element of interculturalism)

emerged as an important factor in the success of DEI efforts. For example, NRU implemented

the “Together Force” in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death that specifically engaged with

intercultural topics and issues such as race, sex, gender, and inclusiveness in the workplace.

NRU’s athletic department leveraged broader social discussions about racial justice to bring

employees together to engage with important and difficult conversations about race and to

educate employees on intercultural competency.

Research shows having intercultural competency can provide an increased sense of

belonging to members of the athletic department and is critical to advancing DEI (Doherty and

Chelladurai, 1999; Giannakoulias, 2020). The NCAA (2021b) highlights programming and

training under “education” that can enhance cultural and practical competencies for individuals

in the department. These programs are critical to advancing DEI within athletic departments.

Lapchick’s (2020) study found that practices should cut through superficial DEI language and be

truly impactful for the people and organization. Notably, in the current study, several participants

recognized that more could be done in NRU’s athletic department to move beyond DEI rhetoric

and generate meaningful, sustained organizational change.

Recommendations for University Athletic Departments

The findings from this study provide the basis for recommendations and action steps that

university athletic departments can consider in their efforts to advance DEI. Drawing from prior

studies on effective practices in DEI (Chapman University, 2020; Cunningham, 2008; Lapchick,

2020), the recommendations are based around three key areas: recruitment and hiring, preparing
 65

the next generation of athletic administrators, and broadening participation and representation in

DEI initiatives.

Recruitment and Hiring. Participants in this study were adamant about the importance

of building a more diverse workforce within university athletic departments. Athletic

departments should find ways to increase the representation of minoritized populations not only

to advance DEI but because, as research shows, a more diverse staff increases overall well-being,

organizational effectiveness, and employee creativity and attitudes (Bendick et al., 2001; Brief &

Barsky, 2000; Cunningham, 2012; Doherty & Chelladurai, 1999; Mowday, 1979; Spaaij et al.,

2018). The NCAA (2021b) acknowledges the importance of raising and deepening diverse

representation for the Diversity and Inclusion Award consideration because it helps to raise

awareness and deepen the connection of people from different backgrounds and enriches the

perspective of others’ unique differences (Giannakoulias, 2020). Research shows that

representation is critical to organizational cultures and that there must be respect added to the

equation to appreciate others’ differences to advance DEI in the organization (Doherty &

Chelladurai, 1999). Athletic departments should be intentional in their pursuit to provide

opportunities at senior-level positions to show that they are making conscious efforts to be more

equitable (Cunningham, 2015; Roach & Dixon, 2006). A pattern of hiring minorities for only

entry-level positions can discourage potential candidates from applying, as they do not see

themselves being able to grow and advance within the department (Pointer, 2018). Athletic

departments seeking to advance DEI should commit to finding ways to increase representation

for minoritized individuals through recruitment and hiring practices, mentoring programs, or

internal programs like next steps for current college athletes.

 66

While executing this study, I realized that most of the Black employees in NRU’s athletic

department worked within the recreation area. It is important to note that the recreation

department at many other institutions usually operates separately (e.g., in a another department

or division on campus, such as Student Affairs) from the athletic department. However, at NRU,

recreation is a functional area under the umbrella of the athletic department. Understanding this

distinction, it is important that athletic departments provide opportunities for minoritized

individuals in key positions outside of recreation to be equitable in hiring, retention, and upward

mobility (Bopp et al., 2014; Cunningham, 2012; McDowell & Carter-Francique, 2017; Yee,

2007). Several participants discussed that better strategies are needed to hire more people of

color in positions other than recreation to improve representation and provide equitable

opportunities. Athletic departments can improve representation by implementing hiring practices

such as “directly recruiting people of color and making sure to post job ads on listservs and

websites aimed at people of color and other underrepresented groups” (Cunningham et al., 2019,

p.18) to increase minoritized individuals throughout the athletic department (Brief & Barsky,

2000; Cunningham, 2012; Finkel et al., 2003; Patton & Hannon, 2008).

Advancing DEI in the athletic department starts with the recruitment process to attract

more diverse candidates during the hiring process (Harper et al., 2013). One potential course of

action is to create a team of diverse executive leaders and mid-level employees to play a leading

role in the recruitment process (Cunningham, 2012; Finkel et al., 2003; Harper et al., 2013,

Wright-Mair et al., 2021). Importantly, studies show that trainings to help hiring committees

recognize, and reduce, unconscious and implicit bias are a valuable resource (Cunningham et al.,

2019; Hipps, 2022; Wright-Mair et al, 2021). Explicit committee discussions about the athletic

department’s goals related to racial equity recruitment benchmarks are another important step
 67

(USC Center for Urban Education, 2022). These goals should align with the mission and vision

of the organization, with the mindset of advancing DEI. These types of racial equity recruitment

benchmarks can help assure the successful process of implementing race-equitable hiring

opportunities across the department (USC Center for Urban Education, 2022). Hiring committees

can also start by recruiting talent from within their own university to attract strong candidates

that have institutional knowledge and are interested in athletic administration (Roach & Dixon,

2006; Singer & Cunningham, 2018).

Athletic departments can create a candidate pool of people of color internally to fill

positions instead of looking externally (Cunningham et al., 2019). Internal candidates often have

institutional knowledge and relationships with current staff that can be incredibly valuable

(Patton & Hannon, 2008; Roach & Dixon, 2006). Cunningham (2008) explained that improving

the representation of minoritized individuals in the organization is one way to show a

commitment to diversity. Increased representation is vital to the advancement of DEI in athletic

departments as research shows that white males currently account for most of these positions

(Fink et al., 2001; Lapchick, 2019; Wilson et al., 2012). Bopp et al.’s (2014) study recommended

that athletic departments should proactively look to hire minoritized individuals in mid and high-

level positions, not just entry-level positions. An increased representation of minoritized

individuals can create more equity-driven hiring and retention efforts that lead to increased

representation, opportunities, and improved intercultural competency (Giannakoulias, 2020).

Preparing the Next Generation of Athletic Administrators. The findings from the

current study underscore the importance of developing talent from within the department as a

means of diversifying athletics administration. Notably, Wood et al. (2019) explain that majority

of current athletic directors are former student athletes. This suggests there are current student
 68

athletes, as well as former student athletes (e.g., staff members within the department), that may

be interested in leadership roles and careers as university athletics administrators. Therefore, the

creation of a mentoring program that provides these individuals with formal mentors and

professional development opportunities is a key way to prepare the next generation of leaders

within campus athletics.

Recruiting people of color into these mentoring programs is essential, particularly in

sports where African Americans account for a large percentage of Division I student athletes,

such as football (47%), men’s basketball (55%), and women’s basketball (44%) (NCAA, 2022).

A successful mentoring program would provide mentees with professional growth and

knowledge about the innerworkings of athletics administration, while simultaneously increasing

the number of people of color in the athletics administration pipeline. In addition, for current

student athletes specifically, internships within athletics can be an important avenue for learning

more about career pathways and opportunities with university athletics. Mentorship and

internship experiences in athletics can help students develop interpersonal skills, self-esteem, and

communication skills that enhance their employability (Noe et al., 2006). Notably, Whitley and

Coetsier (1993) found that strong mentorship can enhance mentees' professional and personal

success, and when mentoring programs are implemented effectively, they can advance DEI by

improving people of color representation within athletic departments.

Roach and Dixon’s (2006) study revealed many “advantages of hiring former student

athletes [that] include a reliable assessment of fit, quick time for socialization and valuable

contribution, and already established trust between all parties” (p. 137). Building on-ramps into

athletics administration for minoritized student athletes is a tangible way to advance DEI and

diversify the profession (Singer & Cunningham, 2018). Building these types of mentoring and
 69

internship programs into the department culture can open doors of opportunity for both current

and former student athletes.

Broadening Participation and Representation in DEI Initiatives. Findings from this

study identified a need for NRU to broaden participation and representation in DEI planning

efforts and committee work. Participants discussed the “Together Force” that leads the charge on

DEI initiatives. However, the leading member is from a majority group (White), which could

cause tension among minoritized individuals (Dobbin & Kalev, 2016). Athletic departments

should create a diverse DEI committee that consists of at least one member from each functional

area within the department. This committee should strive to include an equal number of staff

from minoritized and majority groups (Wright-Mair et al., 2021). All DEI committee members

should have equal input in determining department DEI initiatives that get implemented,

including channels of communication, lecture topics, and training programs. Establishing this

type of committee can play a critical role in advancing DEI within athletic departments because

it increases overall staff representation and amplifies the voices and experiences of minoritized

employees.

Consistent with findings from the current study, prior research shows that accountability

is critical for the advancement of DEI (Advancing DEI, 2017; Bopp et al., 2014; Chapman

University, 2020). Participants discussed that silos were evident in within the department and

often led to organizational challenges, including limited participation in DEI effort by some

employees. Hartwell et al. (2017) found that leaders within the athletic department can take

accountability for eradicating these types of silos. Prior research has found organizational silos

slow the process of advancing DEI (Kezar & Lester, 2009) and at NRU many individuals remain

isolated in their respective areas within the athletic department. Schein (2016) recommended
 70

athletic department leaders should find “cross-functional teams” that work on separate projects to

introduce others in the department to begin to eradicate silos because structured engagement

opportunities are vital. Executive leaders should create cross-functional small groups and give

special projects within the athletic department to work in tandem (Ghobadi & D’Ambra, 2012;

Gill et al., 2018). These groups should be diverse and encompass equity among all members as a

“diverse cross-functional team relates to achieving speed to innovation” (Clark et al., 2004, p.7).

Special projects should include key events, and community outreach initiatives coordinated

within these cross-functional teams to enhance communication and advance DEI in the

department.

Empowering small groups to make decisions and work in tandem with diverse employees

is critical to improving accountability, communication, intercultural competency, and advancing

DEI (Gill et al., 2018). The recommendations of carefully structured cross-functional teams can

help with professional development, networking, leadership opportunities, and relationship

building (Kezar, 2014; Schein, 2016). Leaders taking accountability to the next level to provide

exposure to other employees outside of their area to work in collaboration is a critical component

to advancing DEI to help form relationships, increase intercultural competency, and uphold

accountability within the department.

Leaders are accountable for communicating the mission, vision, and expectations of the

organization as a means of advancing DEI (Barnhill et al., 2021; Cunningham, 2012; Northouse,

2018). Barnhill et al. (2021) noted that communication is an important aspect of accountability

for leaders. Leaders should hold themselves accountable to communicate with staff members and

give them a voice in the department to help improve the organizational culture (Huxel-Bliven,

2020). At NRU, weekly executive team meetings and monthly staff meetings appeared to leave
 71

large gaps of information missing for many mid-level employees. Research on athletics indicates

executive leaders should allow their staff members to express ways to improve communication

(Schroeder, 2010). One potential way to address this need is through regular department forums

that provide all department employees, from executive- to entry-level, a chance to voice their

opinions, share their perspective on the department (Goodman, 2020) and “foster a sense of

belonging to all” (Townsell, 2022, p. 87).

Fink (2012) described how these types of forums can be valuable to athletic departments.

More specifically, Raphael (2022) examined how a bi-monthly forum approach sends a powerful

message to the entire athletic department by placing regular emphasis on the organization’s DEI

initiatives. Drawing from this research, I recommend athletic departments host bi-monthly (two

per month) forums that are inclusive of the entire department. The first forum should provide

space for executive leaders to engage with entry/mid-level employees on the mission, vision, and

trajectory of DEI initiatives, and include opportunities for sharing feedback (Clark et al., 2004;

Gill et al., 2018). Executive leaders should be explicit in their messaging and answer the

questions with honesty and openness. The agenda should include the following topics:

- Discuss DEI mission, vision, and trajectory of programs and training.

- Explain the practices implemented and stay updated with DEI language and initiatives.

- Develop a DEI portfolio that is connected with broader campus initiatives.

- Allow for feedback on DEI programs and practices from entry/mid-level employees.

- Set agenda for DEI forum next month.

The second forum of the month should be led by mid-level employees and focus on

executing the mission, vision, and future DEI initiatives discussed in the first meeting. The mid-

level employees’ forums should identify a primary facilitator and rotate mid-level employees as
 72

the lead facilitator to ensure a diversity of perspectives (Goodman, 2020). By providing this

space for mid-level employees, it can empower them to directly engage with, and help advance,

the department’s DEI initiatives (Fink, 2012; Gill et al., 2018). These forums should discuss the

following:

- Discuss DEI engagement and satisfaction from entry/mid-level staff perspective.

- Provide feedback on current DEI practices such as recruitment, retention and hiring.

- Review the department DEI portfolio.

- Examine the practices and how they benefit the organization and potential modification.

- Set agenda and provide a one pager on DEI lapses and improvement needed and deliver

to executive staff.

In addition to bimonthly forums, athletic departments can embrace cultural differences by

celebrating their employees and their intersectional identities (NCAA, 2021b). This is

interculturalism at work since it advances DEI and is a critical component of the knowledge of

other people that impacts the overall organizational culture (Bennett, 2014; Giannakoulias,

2020). Barnett's (2020) study found that learning to advance DEI by embracing differences can

help to transform the trajectory of athletic departments. One recommendation is for athletic

departments to celebrate cultural differences with recognition of major holidays and events such

as Ramadan, Cinco De Mayo, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Pride Month, Native

American Heritage Day, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Juneteenth. In

conjunction with these celebrations, the athletic department should look to connect with minority

and women campus leaders and professors to visit and discuss the importance of the holidays

(Enders et al., 2020). The athletic department can include lecture series centered on cultural and

major holidays (Cunningham et al., 2019). Connecting with campus leaders and professors can
 73

continue to build the relationship and alignment of the athletic department with the broader

institution (Brief & Barsky, 2000; Cunningham, 2012). The NCAA (2021b) acknowledges that

“fostering an environment that celebrates differences” is critical to the advancement of DEI (p.

1). Therefore, participants’ engagement and appreciation of increasing celebrations of major

holidays combined with professors' lectures can help strengthen the relationship with campus

and advance DEI in university athletic departments (Barnett, 2020; Enders et al., 2020).

Communication is an actionable item essential to advancing DEI in university athletic

departments (Zheng et al., 2010) because diversity is manifested and realized through effective

communication. Zapatao-Barrero’s (2017) study acknowledged that there is a component to

communication that shows the importance of interculturalism. Communication “enables cultures

to have currency, to be exchanged, to circulate, to be modified and evolve” (Sze & Powell, 2004,

p.24). One way of enhancing communication could include implementing a lecture series with

the athletic director and chancellor of the institution to bring awareness around advancing DEI

on campus. The lecture series should include panelists and experts in the field of DEI to discuss

DEI topics impacting their respective areas on campus. Topics may include race, gender,

sexuality, LBGTQI+, activism, sports, health and medicine, and student athlete’s intersectional

identities (Barnett, 2020; Hayes et al., 2020, McDowell & Carter-Francique, 2017). Building

from the lecture series topics, cohorts of athletic department employees could be created to have

ongoing conversations on key DEI topics that impact university athletics (Center for Urban

Education, 2019). The cohort members could then share their knowledge from the lectures and

cohort discussions with the student athletes with whom they work (Cunningham et al., 2019).

These approaches can directly support and advance interculturalism within the department, as
 74

they encourage frequent interactions and the continual exchange of ideas among all employees

about how to advance DEI (Yogeeswaran et al., 2020).

Directions for Future Research

Based on the findings from this study, future research on advancing DEI should further

analyze the interactions and relationships between executive leaders and mid-level leaders in

athletic departments. Prior research suggests that athletic departments operating like corporations

have often suppressed the voice of mid-level members in the department to either get in line or

lose their job (Kirkpatrick, 2018; Schroeder, 2010). Based on this study, the silos are a direct

reflection of the lack of relationships and a disconnect between executive leaders and mid-level

employees (Kezar, 2014; Kezar & Lester, 2009; Schein, 2016). Future studies should look

specifically at how the interactions between mid-level and executive employees can help

transform and collaboratively work to advance DEI in the athletic departments (Barnhill et al.,

2021; Cunningham, 2008; Harry, 2021). Studies should focus on how the executive leaders can

empower mid-level employees to build the culture together, collectively, and provide key input

on issues such as hiring, programming, practices, and logistics of the organization with an

emphasis on DEI. Research shows a top-down approach from leaders in the athletic department

can halt the advancement of DEI as there is little interaction and input from mid-level leaders.

Additionally, future research may also consider examining the potential impact of hiring

Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs), specifically within athletic departments. The University of

Wisconsin, for example, has a DEI unit within the athletic department to assist with DEI

initiatives (Hudson, 2018). Findings from the current study suggested this type of formalized role

at NRU could have some distinct advantages, and some studies suggest the hiring of CDO’s
 75

within university athletic departments is poised to gain momentum (Clauson & McKnight, 2018;

Hoffman & Mitchell, 2016).

Conclusion

While DEI has gained increased focus in higher education within recent years, the same

level of attention and focus on DEI has not always been evident within university athletic

departments. This study examined the experiences of both executive leaders and mid-level

employees in NRU’s athletic department, which had received national recognition from the

NCAA for its accomplishments related to advancing DEI. The findings illuminated many of the

unique DEI opportunities and challenges facing these organizational units. Ultimately, the

findings and recommendations from this study are intended to provide a roadmap that athletic

departments across the country can use to meaningfully advance DEI.

 76

References

Adalberto, Aguirre Jr, & Ruben Martinez. (2002). Leadership practices and diversity in higher

education: Transitional and transformational frameworks. Journal of Leadership &

Organizational Studies, 8(3), 53–62.

Adserias, R., Charleston, L., &. Jackson, J. (2017) What style of leadership is best suited to

direct organizational change to fuel institutional diversity in higher education? Race

Ethnicity and Education, 20(3), 315-331. DOI: 10.1080/13613324.2016.1260233

Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education (ADIHE) (2017). Key data highlights

focusing on race and ethnicity and promising practices. ASI 4808-117.

Aguilar, C., Bauer, J. and Lawson. K., (2017). The critical first year: What new chief diversity

officers need to succeed. Witt/ Kieffer.

Aguirre, A., & Martinez, R. O. (2002). Leadership practices and diversity in higher education:

Transitional and transformational frameworks. Journal of Leadership & Organizational

Studies 8 (3): 53–62.

Aguirre, A., & Martinez, R.O (2006). Diversity leadership in higher education. ASHE-ERIC

Higher Education Report 32 (3). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Andersen, J. A (2015). Barking up the wrong tree: On the fallacies of the transformational

leadership theory. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 36(6), 765–777.

https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-12-2013-0168

Anderson, J. A. (2008). Driving Change Through Diversity and Globalization: Transformative

Leadership in The Academy. Stylus Publishing.

 77

Anderson, Z., Barnett, L., Berlet, C., Bourchier-Willans, A., Vadot, E., & Tardif, C. (2018).

Interculturalism and Varsity Athletics: Evaluating orientation sessions.

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0387081

Antonakis, J. (2012). Transformational and charismatic leadership. In D. V. Day & J. Antonakis

(Eds.), The Nature of Leadership (2nd ed., pp. 256–288). SAGE.

Arthur, C. A., & Hardy, L. (2014). Transformational leadership: A quasi-experimental study.

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 35(1), 38–53.

Avery, D. R., Tonidandel, S., & Phillips, M. G. (2008). Similarity on sports sidelines: How

mentor-protégé sex similarity affects mentoring. Sex Roles, 58, 72–80.

Barber, Hayes, T. B., Johnson, T. L., & Márquez-Magaña, L. (2020). Systemic racism in higher

education. American Association for the Advancement of Science, 369(6509), 1440–1441.

https://doi.org/10.1126/SCIENCE.ABD7140

Barnett, R. (2020). Leading with meaning: Why diversity, equity and inclusion matters in US

higher education. Perspectives in Education, 38(2), 20–35.

https://doi.org/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v38.i2.02

Barnhill, C. R., Smith, N. L., & Oja, B. D. (2021). Organizational Behavior in Sport

Management: An Applied Approach to Understanding People and Groups. Palgrave

Macmillan.

Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1990). The implications of transactional and transformational

leadership for the individual, team, and organizational development. Research in

Organizational Change and Development, 4, 231–272.

Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving Organizational Effectiveness Through

Transformational Leadership. Sage Publications.

 78

Bayer, A., and Rouse, C.E. (2016). Diversity in the economics profession: A new attack on an

old problem. Journal of Economic Perspectives 30(4): 221–242.

Bello, V. (2017). Interculturalism as a new framework to reduce prejudice in times of crisis in

European countries. International Migration, 55(2), 23–38. Strategies for Taking Charge

(2nd ed.). Harper & Row.

Bensimon, E. M., A. Neumann, and R. Birnbaum (1989). Making sense of administrative

leadership: The ‘L’ word in higher education. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report 18

(1). School of Education, George Washington University.

Bensimon, E. M., Dowd, A. C., & Witham, K. (2020). Five Principles for Enacting Equity by

Design. Association of American Colleges & Universities.

Bentley, E. D. (2016). Fair play?. Inside Higher Ed.

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/02/04/do-college-athletes-have-first-

amendment-right-strike-essay

Bernhard, L. (2015). Toward a better understanding: Three studies on diversity in intercollegiate

athletics. eScholarship.

Best Global Rankings (2021). US News Ranking. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-

global-universities

Beyer, J.M., & Hannah, D.R. (2000). The cultural significance of athletics in U.S. higher

education. Journal of Sport Management, 14, 105-132.

Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member checking: A tool to

enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation? Qualitative Health Research,

26(13), 1802–1811. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732316654870

 79

Bopp, T., Goldsmith, A., & Walker, M. B. (2014). Commitment to diversity: The impact of

diversity and inclusiveness on athletic department organizational attractiveness and job

pursuit intentions. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 6(4).

Bowen. G. A.(2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research

Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027

Bradshaw, P. (1998). Power as dynamic tension and its implications for radical organizational,

change. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 7, 121–143.

Braun, & Clarke, V. (2014). What can “thematic analysis” offer health and wellbeing

researchers? International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 9(1),

26152–26152.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in

Psychology, 3, 77–101.

Brief, A.P., & Barsky, A. (2000). Establishing a climate for diversity: The inhibition of

prejudiced reactions in the workplace. Research in Personnel and Human Resources

Management, 19, 91–129.

Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row.

Cawsey, T. F., Deszca, G., & Ingols, C. (2012). Organizational Change: An Action-Oriented

Toolkit (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.

Center for Urban Education. (2019). Five Principles for Creating Equity by Design. Los

Angeles, CA: Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California.

Chapman University (2020). Diversity, equity, and inclusion: A roadmap for best practices.

Chapman University.
 80

Chatman, J.A., Polzer, J.T., Barsade, S.G., & Neale, M.A. (1998). Being different yet feeling

similar: The influence of demographic composition and organizational culture on work

processes and outcomes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 43, 749-780.

Chelladurai, P. (2006). Human resource management in sport and recreation. Champaign, IL:

Human Kinetics.

Chen, A. (2017). Addressing diversity on college campuses: Changing expectations and practices

in instructional leadership. Higher Education Studies, 7(2), 17-22.

Chudacoff, Howard P (2015). Changing the Playbook: How Power, Profit, and Politics

Transformed College Sports. University of Illinois Press.

Chun, E. B., & Evans, A. (2009). Bridging the diversity divide: Globalization and reciprocal

empowerment in higher education. ASHE Higher Education Report 35 (1). Jossey-Bass

Clark, W. A., Johnson, K., Turner, C.A (2004). Diverse Cross Functional Student Teams: A

Teaching Tool For Enhanced Learning. Association for Engineering Education -

Engineering Library Division Papers, 9.473.1–.

Clarke, V. & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3),

297–298.

Clauson, C., & McKnight, J. (2018). Welcome to campus: Planning for diversity, inclusion, and

equity. Planning for Higher Education, 47(1), 39–48.

Cole, J. R. (2017). Why sports and elite academics do not mix. The Atlantic Website.

College sports earn low grade in minority hiring. (2001). Jet, 100(11), 48–49.

Contini, R. M.; and Pica-Smith, C. (2017). Problematizing the Conceptual Framework of

Interculturalism and its Pedagogical Extension of Intercultural Education: Theoretical

 81

Perspectives and Their Implications. Italian Journal of Sociology of Education 9(3): 236-

255. https://doi.org/10.14658/pupj-ijse-2017-3-10

Cooper, J., Newton, A. C. I., Klein, M., & Jolly, S. (2020). A call for culturally responsive

transformational leadership in college sport: An anti-ism approach for achieving equity

and inclusion. Frontiers in Sociology, 5, 1-17.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five

Approaches. Sage.

Cunningham, G.B. (2012). Diversity training in intercollegiate athletics. Journal of Sport

Management, 26(5), 391–403.

Cunningham, G.B. (2008). Commitment to diversity and its influence on athletic department

outcomes. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 1(2), 176–201.

Cunningham, G. B. (2009). The moderating effect of diversity strategy on the relationship

between racial diversity and organizational performance. Journal of Applied Social

Psychology, 36, 1445-1460.

Cunningham, G. B. (2011). Creative work environments in sport organizations: The influence of

sexual orientation diversity and commitment to diversity. Journal of Homosexuality, 58,

1041-1057

Cunningham, G. B., & Sagas, M. (2005). Access discrimination in intercollegiate athletics.

Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 29, 148–163.

Cunningham, S., Guss, S., and Stout, J. (2019). Challenging the good fit’ narrative: Creating

inclusive recruitment practices in academic libraries.” In Recasting the narrative: The

proceedings of the ACRL 2019 Conference, April 10–13, 2019, Cleveland, Ohio, edited

by Dawn M. Mueller, 12-21. Cleveland, Ohio: ACRL.

 82

Denison, D. R., & Mishra, A. K. (1995). Toward a theory of organizational culture and

effectiveness. Organization Science, 6, 204–223

Detert, J. R., Schroeder, R. G., & Mauriel, J. J. (2000). A framework for linking culture and

improvement initiatives in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 25, 850–863.

Doherty, A., Fink, J., Inglis, S., & Pastore, D. (2010). Understanding a culture of diversity

through frameworks of power and change. Sport Management Review, 13(4), 368–381.

Duderstadt, James J. (2000). Intercollegiate Athletics and the American University: A University

President's Perspective. University of Michigan Press.

Elfman, L. (2019). Work for greater diversity, inclusion in college sports. College Athletics and

the Law, 15(12), 12–12.

Elias, M., O’Brien, M., & Weissberg, R. (2006). Transformative leadership for social emotional

learning. Principal Leadership (Middle School Ed), 7(4), 10-13.

Enders, F., Golembiewski, E. H., Pacheco-Spann, L. M., Allyse, M., Mielke, M. M., & Balls-

Berry, J. E. (2021). Building a framework for inclusion in health services research:

Development of and pre-implementation faculty and staff attitudes toward the diversity,

equity, and inclusion (DEI) plan at Mayo Clinic. Journal of Clinical and Translational

Science, 5(1), e88–e88. https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.575

Esen, E. (2005). Workplace diversity practices survey report. Society for Human Resource

Management.

Fink III, J.L. (2012). Academics-athletics forums: An initiative to improve communication and

understanding across the University. Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and

Practice, 1 (2), 1-14.

 83

Fink, J. S., Pastore, D. L., & Riemer, H. A. (2001). Do differences make a difference? Managing

diversity in division IA intercollegiate athletics. Journal of Sport Management, 15, 10–

50.

Fink, J. S., & Pastore, D. L. (1999). Diversity in sport? Utilizing the business literature to devise

a comprehensive framework of diversity initiatives. Quest National Association for

Kinesiology in Higher Education, 51(4), 310–327.

Finkel, M.J., Storaasli, R.D., Bandele, A., & Schaefer, V. (2003). Diversity training in graduate

school: An exploratory evaluation of the safe zone project. Professional Psychology,

Research and Practice, 34, 555–561.

Flowers, R. (2009). Institutionalized hypocrisy: The myth of intercollegiate athletics.

Athletics American Educational History Journal, 36(2), 343–360. Information Age

Publishing.

Frey, J.A. (1994). Deviance of organizational subunits: The case of college athletic departments.

Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 18, 110-122.

Fuentes, M.A, Zelaya, D. G., & Madsen, J. W. (2021). Rethinking the course syllabus:

considerations for promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. Teaching of Psychology,

48(1), 69–79.

Ghobadi, S., & D’Ambra, J. (2012). Knowledge sharing in cross-functional teams: a coopetitive

model. Journal of Knowledge Management, 16(2), 285–301.

Giannakoulias, D. (2020). Shifting our focus: Discovering deep diversity. Organization

Development Review 52 (4).

Goodman, N. (2020). Critical conversations about racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion:

Forward-thinking organizations have already created forums to bring diverse employees

 84

together to share their experiences and deepest concerns and fears in the hope that

coalitions of understanding and support will result from these interventions. Training

57(4), 36–.

Gill, G.K, McNally, M. J., & Berman, V. (2018). Effective diversity, equity, and inclusion

practices. Healthcare Management Forum, 31(5), 196–199.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0840470418773785

Glisson, C., & James, L. R. (2002). The cross-level effects of culture and climate in human

service teams. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23, 767–794.

Gonzalez, J. A., & DeNisi, A. S. (2009). Cross-level effects of demography and diversity climate

on organizational attachment and firm effectiveness. Journal of Organizational Behavior,

30, 21–40. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1002/job.498

Gold, M., Hu, T., MacKenzie, A., Mah, E., & Minhas, G. (2019). Varsity Athletics : Experiences

of diversity and interculturalism. UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies

(SEEDS) Student Reports (Undergraduate).

Gregory, B., Harris, S. G., Armenakis, A. A., & Shook, C. L. (2009). Organizational culture and

effectiveness: A study of values, attitudes, and organizational outcomes. Journal of

Business Research, 62(7), 673–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2008.05.021

Grubbs, V. (2020). Diversity, equity, and inclusion that matter. The New England Journal of

Medicine, 383(4), e25–e25. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMpv2022639

Gusa, D. (2010). White institutional presence: The impact of whiteness on campus climate.

Harvard Educational Review, 80(4), 464–490.

Hanges, P. J., Aiken, J., & Chen, X. (2006, September 25–27). Diversity, organizational climate,

and organizational culture: The role they play in influencing organizational effectiveness.
 85

Paper Presented at the Proceedings of Lbrary Assessment Conference Building Effective,

Sustainable, Practical Assessment, Charlottesville, VA.

Hansen, M. J., & Renguette, C. C. (2020). Launching the new diversity, equity, and inclusion

track. Assessment Update, 32(3), 10–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/au.30215

Harper, S. R., Williams, C. D., & Blackman, H. W. (2013). Black male student-athletes and

racial inequities in NCAA Division I college sports. Center for the Study of Race and

Equity in Education.

Harris, M. S., & Ellis, M. K. (2020). Measuring changes in institutional diversity: The US

context. Higher Education, 79(2), 345–360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-019-00413-4

Harry, M. (2021). Practices used by NCAA division I power five Athletics programs to increase

athlete inclusion. Journal of Sport Behavior, 44(1), 51–72.

Hartwell, E., Cole, K., Donovan, S.K., Greene, R.L., Burrell Storms, S.L, & Williams, T.

(2017). Breaking Down Silos: Teaching for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Across

Disciplines. Humboldt Journal of Social Relations, 39, 143–162.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/90007877

Harvey, W. B. (2014). Chief diversity officers and the wonderful world of academe. Journal of

Diversity in Higher Education 7 (2): 92–100.

Hayes, L., Oltman, K. A., Kaylor, L. E., & Belgudri, A. (2020). How leaders can become more

committed to diversity management. Consulting Psychology Journal, 72(4), 247–262.

https://doi.org/10.1037/cpb0000171

Hefferan, J. (2016). Picking up the flag: The university of Missouri football team and whether

intercollegiate student-athletes may be penalized for exercising their first amendment

rights. DePaul Journal of Sports Law and Contemporary Problems, 12(1), 44-82.
 86

Hipps, C. (2022). Council post: Five diversity recruitment best practices for 2022. Forbes.

Ho, J. (2016). Influence of organizational context and followers’ deposition on the effectiveness

of transformational leadership. International Journal of Organization Theory and

Behavior, 19(3), 308–343. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOTB-19-03-2016-B002

Hodkinson, A. (2011). Inclusion: A defining definition? Power and Education, 3(2), 179–185.

https://doi.org/10.2304/power.2011.3.2.179

Hoffman, G.D. & Mitchell, T.D. (2016). Making diversity “everyone’s business”: A discourse

analysis of institutional responses to student activism for equity and inclusion. Journal of

Diversity in Higher Education, 9(3): 277–289. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000037.

Hopkins, W.E., Hopkins, S.A., & Mallette, P. (2001). Diversity managerial value commitment:

A test of some proposed relationships. Journal of Managerial Issues, 13, 288-306.

Howard-Grenville, J. (2006). Inside the "black box": How organizational culture and subcultures

inform interpretations and actions on environmental issues. Organization &

Environment, 19(1), 46-73.

Hudson, W. (2018). Fixing an athletics problem. Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 34, 10-11.

Hughes, G. (2013). Racial justice, hegemony, and bias incidents in U.S. higher education.

Multicultural Perspectives, 15(3), 126-132.

Hunt, C. (2018). The Pursuit to Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Education: A Multiple Case

Study Analysis of Chief Diversity Officers' Practice of Collaboration in Higher

Education: A Leaders. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

King, N. (2004). Using templates in the thematic analysis of text. In C. Cassell & G. Symon

(Eds.), Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research (pp. 257–270).

London, UK: Sage.

 87

Kirkpatrick, N. (2018). Collegiate=corporate? the business and financial backgrounds of athletics

directors the

Power 5” conference level. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 2018, 11, 98-

114.

Kotter, J. P., & Heskett, J. L. (1992). Corporate Performance. Free Press.

Kruse, T. (2020). Advancing Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education: The Role of Chief

Officer and The Institution in Creating More Diverse Climates (Order No. 28091136).

Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2481175790). Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.uh.edu/dissertations-theses/advancing-equity-

inclusion-higher-education-role/docview/2481175790/se-2?accountid=7107

Labuschagne, A. (2003). Qualitative research:Airy fairy or fundamental? The Qualitative

Report, 8(1), 100-103. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2003.1901

Lanter, J. R. & Hawkins, B. J. (2013). The economic model of intercollegiate athletics and its

effects on the college athlete educational experience. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport,

6(1), 86–95. https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.6.1.86

Lapchick, R. (2010). The effect of the economic downturn on college athletes and athletic

departments on issues of diversity and inclusion. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 3(1),

81–95. https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.3.1.81

Lapchick, R. & Kuhn, M. (2011). Mild progress continues: Assessing diversity among campus

and conference leaders for football bowl subdivision (FBS) schools in the 2011-12. The

Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES).

 88

Liao H, Chuang A. (2007). Transforming service employees and climate: a multilevel multi-

source examination of transformational leadership in building long-term service

relationships. J. Appl. Psychol. 92:1006–1.

Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Sage.

Lok, & Crawford, J. (1999). The relationship between commitment and organizational culture,

subculture, leadership style and job satisfaction in organizational change and

development. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 20(7), 365–374.

https://doi.org/10.1108/01437739910302524

Lussier, R., & Achua, C. (2007). Leadership: Theory, Application, and Skill Development (3rd

ed.). Thomson.

Luster, R., Cooper, H. A., Aikman, G., Sanders, K., Jacobs, G., & Tierney, R. (2021). Relational

leadership: Perspectives of key constructs on diversity, inclusion, and social equity in

higher education. Journal of Leadership Studies, 15(1), 57–62.

https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21734

Martin, J. & Siehl, C. (1983). Organizational culture and counterculture: An uneasy symbiosis.

Organizational Dynamics, 12(2), 52–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-2616(83)90033-5

Martin. J. (2002). Organizational Culture: Mapping the Terrain. Sage Publications.

McCullough, D., & Gotian, R. (2020). Five tips for boosting diversity on campus. Nature,

584(7822), 654–655.

McDowell, J., & Carter-Francique, A. (2017). An intersectional analysis of the workplace

experiences of African American female athletic directors. Sex Roles, 77(5–6), 393–408.

https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.uh.edu/10.1007/s11199-016-0730-y
 89

McGinniss, K. T., Goutos,D., & Tuakli-Wosornu, Y. A (2020). Diversifying diversity, equity,

and inclusion in American college athletics: The case for adaptive (and Other Non-

Traditional) sports. Sport Journal. https://thesportjournal.org/article/diversifying-

diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-american-college-athletics-the-case-for-adaptive-and-

other-non-traditional-sports

Mowday, R. T., Porter, L. W., & Steers, R. M. (1982). Organizational Linkages: The Psychology

of Commitment, Absenteeism, and Turnover. Academic Press.

Mowday, R. T., Steers, R., & Porter, L. W. (1979) The measurement of organizational

commitment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 14, 224-247.

Nadkarni, R., & Nieves, A. (2015). Why Missouri's football team joined a protest against school

administration. Sports Illustrated Magazine.

Nahavandi, A. (2006). The Leadership (4th edition). Pearson/Prentice Hall.

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2021a). NCAA demographics database [data

visualization dashboard]. Retrieved from

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/research/ncaa-demographics-database

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2014). Colorado State University honored for

athletics and campus diversity and inclusion initiatives.

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/colorado-state-university-

honored-athletics-and-campus-diversity-and-inclusion-initiatives.

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2022). NCAA demographics database.

http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/research/ncaa-demographics-database
 90

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2021b).

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/inclusion/resources-foster-diversity-equity-and-

inclusiveness

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2021c). NCAA Institutional performance

program best practices for conducting an institutional inclusion review.

https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/governance/d1/ipp/DIGov-IPP_BestPractices-

InstitutionalInclusionReview.pdf

Nelli, D. K. (2014). Gender representations in U.S. Ed.D. Dissertations: A Feminist Content

Analysis. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Noe, R., Hollenbeck, J., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. (2006). Human resource management:

Gaining a competitive advantage (5th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th Ed.) Sage Publications.

Nowell, Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet

the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1–13.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847

Office of Diversity & Inclusion in Athletics (ODIA) (2021). Colorado State University Athletics.

Retrieved November 22, 2021, from https://csurams.com/sports/2018/9/28/diversity-and-

inclusion.

Patchett, E. M., Oja, B. D., & Morse, A. L. (2021). Conceptual frameworks for evaluating

diversity and inclusion in collegiate recreation. Recreational Sports Journal, 45(2), 161–

170. https://doi.org/10.1177/15588661211033253

Patton, L. D., & Hannon, M.D. (2008). Collaboration for cultural programming: Engaging

culture centers, multicultural affairs, and student activities offices as partners. In S.

 91

Harper (ed.). In creating inclusive campus environments for cross-cultural learning and

student engagement, (pp.139–54). National Association of Student Personnel

Administrators.

Perna, L. W., Gerald, D., Baum, E., & Milem, J. (2007). The status of equity for black faculty

and administrators in public higher education in the south. Research in Higher Education,

48(2), 193–228. American Educational research Association.

Piggott, & Cariaga-Lo, L. (2019). Promoting inclusion, diversity, access, and equity through

enhanced institutional culture and climate. The Journal of Infectious Diseases,

220(Supplement_2), S74–S81. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiz186

R. (2018). An examination of career experiences of Black senior level administrators in college

athletics. Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee.

Preston-Cunningham, T., Elbert, C. D., & Dooley, K. E. (2017). Defining leadership: Collegiate

women’s learning circles: A qualitative approach. Journal of Leadership Education,

16(1), 133–147. https://doi.org/10.12806/V16/I1/T3

Price, T., Dunlap, R., Eller, J., & Estes, S. (2015). An Exploration of Black Women’s

Intersectionality in Context of Athletic Administration. [ProQuest Dissertations

Publishing]. http://search.proquest.com/docview/1718546707/

Raphael, Chad (Ed.) (2022). Diversity, equity, and inclusion in being a bronco: Report of a

student forum. Participedia.

Ravishankar, Pan, S. L., & Leidner, D. E. (2011). Examining the strategic alignment and

implementation success of a KMS: A subculture-based multilevel analysis. Information

Systems Research, 22(1), 39–59. https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.1080.0214

 92

Roach, K., & Dixon, M. A. (2006). Hiring Internal Employees: A View from the Field. Journal

of Sport Management, 20(2), 137–158.

Robinson, G. & Dechant, K. (1997). Building a case for diversity. The Academy of Management

Executive, 11(3), 21-31.

Sackmann, S. (1992). Culture and subcultures: An analysis of organizational knowledge.

Administrative Science Quarterly, 37(1), 140–161. https://doi.org/10.2307/2393536

Sage, G.H. (1990). Power and Ideology in American Sport : A Critical Perspective. Human

Kinetics Books.

Schein, E. H. (1996). Three cultures of management: The key to organizational learning. Sloan

Management Review, 38, 9.

Schneider, B., Ehrhart, M. G., & MacEy, W. H. (2013). Organizational climate and culture.

Annual Review of Psychology, 64(1), 361–388. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-

113011-143809

Schull, V., Shaw, S., & Kihl, L. (2013). "IF a woman came in... she would have been eaten up

alive": Analyzing gendered political processes in the search for an athletic director.

Gender and Society, 27(1), 56-81.

Shamir, B., House, R. J., & Arthur, M. B. (1993). The motivational effects of charismatic

leadership: A self-concept-based theory. Organization Science, 4(4), 577–594.

Siciliano, J.I. (1996). The relationship of board member diversity to organizational performance.

Journal of Business Ethics, 75, 1313-1320.

Sinatra, R. & Maher, J.J. 2012. Advancing the Vincentian tradition through strategic service and

research. Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, 16(1): 65–89.

https://doi. org/10.15365/joce.1601052013.
 93

Singer, & Cunningham, G. B. (2018). A collective case study of African-American male athletic

directors’ leadership approaches to diversity in college sport. Journal of Intercollegiate

Sport, 11(2), 269–297. https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.2018-0036

Southall, R.M., & Nagel, M.S. (2003). Content analysis of athlete handbooks from selected

NCAA Division I-A athletic departments. International Journal of Sport Management, 4,

179-191.

Southall, R.M., Wells, D.E., & Nagel, M.S. (2005). Organizational culture perceptions of

intercollegiate athletic department members. The Applied Research in Coaching and

Athletics Annual, 20, 65-93.

Spaaij, R., Magee, J., Farquharson, K., Gorman, S., Jeanes, R., Lusher, D., & Storr, R. (2018).

Diversity work in community sport organizations: Commitment, resistance and

institutional change. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 53(3), 278–295.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690216654296

Suresh, M. sai. (2020). Diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education: A reality or a

façade?. OU Theses. https://hdl.handle.net/11244/326817

Sze, F. and Powell, D. (2004). Interculturalism: Exploring Critical Issues, Inter-disciplinary.

Press, Oxford, UK.

Taylor, E. A., & Hardin, R. (2016). Female NCAA division I athletic directors: Experiences and

challenges. Women in Sport & Physical Activity Journal, 24(1), 14–25.

Thaler-Carter, R. E. (2001). Diversify your recruiting advertising. HR Magazine, 46(6), 92–100.

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (2021). Basic Classification

Description. https://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/classification_descriptions/basic.php
 94

Tienda, M. (2013). Diversity ≠ inclusion: Promoting integration in higher education. Educational

Researcher, 42(9), 467–475. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X13516164

Tierney, W. G. (1989). Advancing Democracy: A Critical Interpretation of Leadership. Peabody

Journal of Education 66 (3): 157–175.

Townsell, L. (2022). A year of the ASLO diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice forum.

Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin, 31(3), 87–88. https://doi.org/10.1002/lob.10511

Trice, H.M., & Beyer, J.M. (1993). The Cultures of Work Organizations. Prentice-Hall.

United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) (2010). Re-focusing on equity: Questions and

answers. UNICEF.

USC Center for Urban Education (2022). Equity Mindedness. https://cue.usc.edu

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) (2020). Additional actions needed to strengthen

workforce diversity planning and oversight (GAO-21-83).

https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-83-highlights.pdf

U.S. Government Accountability Office (2005). Diversity management: expert-identified leading

practices and agency examples (GAO-05–90). retrieved from

https://www.gao.gov/products/ GAO-05-90

Unzueta, M. M., & Binning, K. R. (2012). Diversity is in the eye of the beholder: How concern

for the in-group affects perceptions of racial diversity. Personality and Social Psychology

Bulletin, 38(1), 26–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167211418528Vanderbilt News.

(2020). Our commitment to an inclusive Vanderbilt.

https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2020/07/01/our-commitment-to-an-inclusive-vanderbilt/

Verkuyten, M., Yogeeswaran, K., Mepham, K., Sprong, S. (2020). Interculturalism: A new

diversity ideology with interrelated components of dialogue, unity, and identity

 95

flexibility. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(3), 505–519.

https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2628

Vesely, C. K., Baily, S., Ambegaonkar, J., Klee, H., & Woltz, S. (2021, September 9). How a

college is using DEI data to drive change. Inside Higher Ed.

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2021/09/09/how-college-using-dei-data-drive-

change-opinion.

Whitely, W. & Coetsier, P. (1993). The Relationship of Career Mentoring to Early Career

Outcomes. https://doi.org/10.1177/017084069301400305

Williams, D. A., & Clowney, C. (2007). Strategic Planning for diversity and organizational

change. Effective practices for academic leaders, 2(3), 1-16.

Wilson, J. L., Meyer, K. A., & McNeal, L. (2012). Mission and diversity statements: What they

do and do not say. Innovative Higher Education, 37, 125-39.

Wong, G. (2014). The path to the athletic director's office.

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/06/09/In-Depth/Wong-

column.aspx

Worthington, R. L., C. A. Stanley, and W. T. Lewis, Sr. (2014). National association of diversity

officers in higher education standards of professional practice for chief diversity Officers.

Journal of Diversity in Higher Education 7 (4): 227–34.

Wright-Mair, R., Kluch, Y., Swim, N., Turick, R. (2021). Driving systemic change: Examining

perceptions of high-impact practices for advancing diversity, equity, and Inclusion in

Intercollegiate Athletics. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 14, p. 599-625.

Yee, S. (2007). A case study of career paths for women of color athletic administrators: The

intersection of race and gender. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

 96

Yin, R.K. (1994). Case study research: Design and methods (2nd ed). Sage.

Yin, R. K. (2006). Case Study Methods. In J. L. Green, G. Camilli, & P. B. Elmore

(Eds.), Handbook of complementary methods in education research (pp. 111–122).

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

Young, L. W., Jr. (1991). The minority cultural center on a predominantly white campus. In H.

E. Cheatham and Associates (ed.). In Cultural Pluralism on Campus. (pp. 41–54).

University Press of America.

Yukl, G. A. (1999). An evaluation of conceptual weaknesses in transformational and charismatic

leadership theories. The Leadership Quarterly, 10(2), 285–305.

Zapata-Barrero, R. (2017). How does interculturalism facilitate diversity incorporation into the

cultural policy mainstream? Montreal’s case study. Crossings (Bristol), 8(1), 31–48.

https://doi.org/10.1386/cjmc.8.1.31_1

Zheng, Yang, B., & McLean, G. N. (2010). Linking organizational culture, structure, strategy,

and organizational effectiveness: Mediating role of knowledge management. Journal of

Business Research, 63(7), 763–771. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.06.005

 97

Appendix A: Interview Protocol

Lived Experiences

1. Tell me about your background, schooling, and current role in the department.

Departmental Questions

2. Does the mission and vision of the athletic department align with the institution?

3. Does the athletic department collaborate with the institution? How can this relationship be

strengthened?

4. How do you think the athletic culture is in terms of DEI? Ahead or behind university level?

5. Do you have an active role with DEI? Do you actively participate in DEI workshops and

events? Co-workers’ response to workshops?

6. Who is responsible for DEI initiatives in your organization? Are they effective in the role?

7. Do you feel empowered to discuss DEI issues in your role? Have you seen other employees

engage in similar conversations?

8. In your opinion, what are ways to effectively advance DEI in an athletic department?

Leadership Questions

9. What policies or practices were implemented by the athletic department to advance DEI?

What steps were taken? What did you learn during the process?

10. What role have leaders played in constructing your organization’s DEI? How can they stay

consistent with improving the environment for employees?

11. Have you noticed any DEI incidents in the department? Are leaders swift with the response?

How was it handled? Please explain.

12. Is there anything else you would like to discuss that we did not cover?
 98

Appendix B: Sports within NRU’s Athletic Department

1. Women’s Cross Country

2. Football

3. Softball

4. Men’s Basketball

5. Women’s Basketball

6. Women’s Volleyball

7. Wrestling

8. Women’s Swimming and Diving

9. Men’s Tennis

10. Women’s Tennis

11. Men’s Cross Country

12. Women’s Soccer

13. Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field

14. Women’s Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field

 99

Appendix C: Functional Areas and Support Services within NRU’s Athletic Department

1. Staff Administration

2. Academic Affairs

3. Athletic Development

4. Sports Medicine

5. Bulls Sports Properties

6. Business Office

7. Communications & Broadcasting

8. Compliance

9. Equipment Room

10. Facility Operations

11. Marketing/Sales

12. Recreation and Intramural Services

13. Spirit Squad

14. Sports Performance

15. Technology Services/Performance Technology

16. Ticket Office

17. Wellness Services

 100

Appendix D: IRB Approvals

APPRO VAL OF SUBMISSION

May 25, 2022

Earl Bennett

[email protected]

Dear Earl Bennett:

On May 25, 2022, the IRB revie wed the following submission:

Type of Review: Initial Study

Title of Study: ADVANCING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
INCLUSION IN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC
DEPARTMENTS
Investigator: Earl Bennett
IRB ID: STUDY00003680
Funding/ Proposed Name: Unfunded
Funding:
Award ID:
Award Title:
IND, IDE, or HDE: None
Documents Reviewed: • Consent Document (4).pdf, Category: Study tool s
(ex: surveys, interview/focus group questions, data
collection forms, etc.);
• Dissertation HRP-503.pdf, Cate gory: IRB Protocol;
• Dissertation Interview Protocol (3).pdf, Cate gory:
Study tools (ex: surveys, i nterview/focus group
questions, data collection forms, etc.);
• Dissertation Recruitment Email (1).pdf, Category:
Study tools (ex: surveys, i nterview/focus group
questions, data collection forms, etc.);

Review Category: Exempt

Committee Name: Not Applicable
IRB Coordinator: Sandra Arntz

The IRB approved the study on May 25, 2022; recrui tment and procedures detailed
within the approved protocol may now be initiated. Please provide a letter of cooperation
from the University of Buffalo once obtained.

Page 1 of 2
 101

May 26, 2022

Earl Bennett
Director of Player Development
Vanderbilt Football
2601 Jess Neely Dr.
Nashville, TN 37212

Re: STUDY00003680: Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in University Athletic

Departments

Dear Mr. Bennett,

The University at Buffalo (UB) welcomes you to recruit study subjects from our
institution as approved in your IRB study. Good Luck.

Please contact me ([email protected] (716) 888-4881) with any questions.

Sincerely, Digitally signed by Richard Karalus,

Ph.D.
DN: cn=Richard Karalus, Ph.D.,
o=University at Buffalo, ou=Office of
Research Compliance,
[email protected], c=US
Date: 2022.05.26 09:20:32 -04'00'
Richard Karalus, Ph.D.
University at Buffalo
Director, Office of Research Compliance

516 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-1611

716.645.3321 (F) 716.645.6792
www.buffalo.edu/research