Are athletic department staff offered an accessible opportunity (i.e., specifically timed for athletics staff, where athletics staff are explicitly invited, or held in the athletics department) to participate in an LGBTQ inclusion training?

 

Methodology update as of July 2023: If AEI evidence (or the document or page containing the evidence) has a visible time-stamp, date range of application, or departmental review date, such time-stamps must be dated within the last 2 calendar years to qualify for scoring purposes. Evidence that is explicitly timestamped more than 2 calendar years before an institution’s annual audit cannot be reasonably assumed to remain unchanged in its application to current students unless explicitly stated by the athletic department. We use calendar years to make these distinctions; for example, a 2020-2021 student-athlete handbook is acceptable evidence for an audit conducted in 2023, but would not be acceptable for an audit conducted in 2024.

 

  • Opportunities for athletics staff to participate in LGBTQ inclusion training increases awareness and provides them with tools to challenge discrimination.

 

  • Opportunities for staff to continuously learn best practices for addressing LGBTQ issues develop a more inclusive environment for athletes over time.

 

  • Visible advocacy by athletic directors, administrators, and coaches promotes a healthier social climate.

 

 

Having accessible opportunities to participate in LGBTQ inclusion training for athletic department staff members is vital to fostering a respectful environment for all student-athletes and staff. Education is essential to providing coaches and athletics staff with “practical tools to avoid or, where necessary, legally challenge discrimination against LGBTQ people in athletics”. Similarly, “when athletics directors and sport administrators are visible and public advocates for diversity, respect and inclusion, athletics staff and student-athletes are more likely to understand these values as integral to departmental and school mission”. The success of inclusion initiatives and the respectful treatment of LGBTQ athletes and staff is dependent on the availability of training on best practices for athletics directors, administrators, and coaches, since student-athletes look to leadership to exemplify the department’s commitment to LGBTQ inclusivity. 

 


 

Griffin, P. & Taylor, H. (2012). Champions of respect: Inclusion of LGBTQ student-athletes and staff in NCAA programs. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Publicly available here

 

Athlete Ally’s Champions of Inclusion curricula provides student athletes, coaches and admins with free online education on how to build a more LGBTQI+ inclusive team, campus and community. Learn more at athleteally.org/coi

In terms of AEI scoring, public-facing evidence of staff participation in Champions of Inclusion equates to full points for Metric 7.