Two groups collaborating on race, ethnicity issues in intercollegiate athletics

NORMAN, Okla. – The National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, housed in University Outreach at the University of Oklahoma, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association inclusion office are excited to announce a collaboration for the 2019 conference. This year, NCORE and NCAA inclusion will work together to raise awareness about and engage in dialogue on race and ethnicity in intercollegiate athletics.

This strategic collaboration will culminate at NCORE 2019 to be held May 28 through June 1 in Portland, Oregon. NCAA representatives will participate in a keynote panel and breakout sessions addressing a variety of topics covering the intersection of race and ethnicity in intercollegiate athletics, and they will highlight where the two influence and are impacted by current issues and social justice.

“NCORE brings together thought leaders and scholars in diversity, equity and inclusion from over 1,000 campuses across the country,” said Belinda Biscoe, interim senior associate vice president of University Outreach at OU. “Our relationship with the NCAA and organizations committed to exploring race and social justice issues on college campuses is critical to the complex work necessary to create and sustain institutional change. This initiative will allow NCORE and the NCAA to foster more inclusive and supportive environments for student-athletes on our nation’s campuses. We are excited for this opportunity to address these issues and provide guidance to colleges and universities who look to NCORE and the NCAA for technical assistance, resources and leadership to make positive, constructive change.”

Although progress has been made in some areas relating to race and ethnicity, there is much room for improvement. By bringing individuals who work in these athletic venues to the conference, NCORE and the NCAA hope to identify issues that still exist, while also determining what best practices should be implemented to create an atmosphere of equity, diversity and inclusion in intercollegiate athletics.

“Inclusion is a core value embedded throughout the work of the NCAA national office, membership colleges and universities, and athletic conference offices,” said Katrice Albert, NCAA executive vice president of inclusion and human resources. “National collaborations like this one demonstrate the NCAA’s commitment to all issues impacting the health and well-being of student-athletes and those who coach, teach and lead them. Engaging with the existing strength of NCORE brings to bear these important issues to an invested and passionate audience, allowing for more awareness, continued dialogue, additional perspectives, thought leadership and action.”

NCORE is produced by the Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies at the University of Oklahoma Outreach. The conference is geared toward those in the higher education community and attracts 4,000 attendees annually. It will feature more than 350 sessions, engaging attendees on nearly every social justice topic intersecting with higher education and encouraging them to gain a deeper understanding of these issues. The conference is open to all individuals.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit the NCORE website at ncore.ou.edu.