Cultural Diversity on Campus: a Look At Intercollegiate Football Coaches

Those who attempt to increase cultural diversity in social organizations need to consider perceptions of access or opportunity for prestigious and visible positions. This research investigated career option viability for the positions of college athletic director and football coach through the examination of social characteristics of persons holding these positions at a sample of NCAA Division I-A institutions. Eighty-eight of the 105 institutions contacted supplied a copy of their 1990 football media guide. From these media guides, data were compiled for athletic directors, head football coaches, and full time assistant football coaches. Results clearly show that blacks were underrepresented at the athletic director, head coach, coordinator, and assistant coach positions. Additional results examining centrality ofposition played and position coached suggest that racial discrimi nation is institutionalized. Consequently, the pattern is likely to continue in the absence Of meaningful interventions. These data indicate that career opportunity is restricted for blacks by institutionalized discrimination in intercollegiate sport.