The Knight Commission's Recent Report From A Parent's Perspective

IT’S TIME FOR A RACIAL RECKONING IN COLLEGE SPORTS: KNIGHT COMMISSION RELEASES PLAN TO CREATE RACIAL EQUITY FOR BLACK COLLEGE ATHLETES

Reforms include permanently eliminating standardized testing for athletic eligibility, boosting diversity in recruiting and hiring of leadership, creating more opportunities for Black student leadership and advocacy, and a renewed request for the College Football Playoff to invest in diversity initiatives.

        The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics called on universities, athletics conferences, the College Football Playoff (CFP) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to take decisive action to address systemic policies and practices that create barriers to the success of Black college athletes. The Commission’s report, “Achieving Racial Equity in College Sports,” was guided by a task force led by Chair Len Elmore and co-Vice Chairs and former college athletes Shanteona Keys and Jacques McClendon. The report outlines policy changes in four core areas that the NCAA and its member institutions should make to achieve racial equity in sports:

1.  Closing educational opportunity gaps to create equitable pathways for Black college athletes’ success during and after college.
2. Holding institutions accountable in recruitment and hiring to achieve diversity and equity in athletics leadership.
3. Investing in programs that support and enhance Black athletes’ college experience and promote inclusion and belonging.
4. Creating more equitable opportunities for Black college athletes to assume leadership roles, especially in advocacy and governance.