Personnel Issues

Setting goals and establishing measurable objectives is a key first step in achieving diversity outcomes.  In general, a goal should be a broad, narrative, and visionary expression of the athletics program’s diversity commitment while objectives are specific, measurable and may include a timeframe for achievement.  Typically, a diversity goal is one of many goals established by the athletics department and a part of the athletics program’s strategic plan.  Alternatively, or in addition, the athletics department may have a separate diversity plan with its own goals and objecti

Note:  Do not use this sample policy without customizing for your institution, and if necessary, having the document reviewed by institutional legal counsel or higher administration to ensure consistency with local, state, and federal laws and institutional policy.

Note:  Following are excerpts from the prepublication manuscript.  Do not distribute without citation.  
Lopiano, D.A. and Zotos, C. (Publication 2013) The Athletics Director’s Handbook:  A Comprehensive Practical Guide to the Management of Scholastic and Intercollegiate Athletics Programs.  Champaign, IL:  Human Kinetics.

The following instrument could be used to obtain an employee evaluation of her/his supervisor.

STUDENT-ATHLETE EVALUATION OF COACH

Note:  Following are excerpts from the prepublication manuscript.  Do not distribute without citation.  
Lopiano, D.A. and Zotos, C. (Publication 2013) The Athletics Director’s Handbook:  A Comprehensive Practical Guide to the Management of Scholastic and Intercollegiate Athletics Programs.  Champaign, IL:  Human Kinetics.

The following instrument should be used to obtain a student-athlete evaluation of each head coach and each assistant coach with whom the student-athlete has worked.

Note:  Following are excerpts from the prepublication manuscript.  Do not distribute without citation.  
Lopiano, D.A. and Zotos, C. (Publication 2013) The Athletics Director’s Handbook:  A Comprehensive Practical Guide to the Management of Scholastic and Intercollegiate Athletics Programs.  Champaign, IL:  Human Kinetics.

Note:  The following sample agreement is an excerpt from a prepublication manuscript due to be published in 2014: Lopiano, D.A. and Zotos, C. (Publication 2013) The Athletics Director’s Desk Reference. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Note:  The following sample policy is an excerpt from a prepublication manuscript: Lopiano, D.A. and Zotos, C. (Publication 2014) The Athletics Director’s Desk Reference.  Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.  Do not use this sample policy without customizing for your institution, and if necessary, having the document reviewed by institutional legal counsel or higher administration to ensure consistency with local, state, and federal laws and institutional policy.

Note:  The following sample policy is an excerpt from a prepublication manuscript: Lopiano, D.A. and Zotos, C. (Publication 2014) The Athletics Director’s Desk Reference. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. The nature of this subject reflects a philosophical position about the proper conduct of educational sport that could be different from other equally viable perspectives. Thus, changes in this policy may be required to conform to other perspectives.

ANSWER:  “You can’t legislate ethics” is a common phrase used by supervisors when an employee is behaving in a way that a manager deems unethical, inappropriate or unprofessional.  To some extent, this posit is true but it does not remove the responsibility for managers to create an environment where ethical constructs are conveyed and monitored and acts of unethical or unprofessional behavior are quickly addressed.

Unfortunately, some athletics departments have been notorious for not following the same Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defined hiring processes as other campus departments, especially in the hiring of head coaches.  Athletics directors will claim that coaches are “emergency hires” because no one wants to lose recruits by going through a lengthy search process.  This practice should be discouraged not only because it violates the spirit and or letter of federal laws, with the potential of perpetuating years of discrimination in athletics with regard to the hiring o