University of Denver Athletics and Recreation Vice-Chancellor Karlton Creech recently joined over 50 Division 1 athletic directors in signing the Collegiate Coaching Diversity Pledge (CCDP).
The CCDP is an opt-in agreement that athletic directors can sign. The agreement pledges that coaches will include a diverse group of candidates in the finalist pool for head coach vacancies in men’s basketball, women’s basketball and football.
The pledge defines a diverse pool as a group of finalists that includes “at least one candidate from a diverse or traditionally underrepresented background and at least one candidate from a non-diverse background.” To further maintain compliance with the CCDP, programs must also create an equal interview process for the diverse candidate pool.
The pledge was created by AthleticDirectorU and is overseen by an independent Board of Advocates with assistance from the Board of Coaches. These two boards consist of diverse but respected sports and education individuals, including ESPN Sports Analyst Debbie Antonelli and previous U.S. Tennis Association President Katrina M. Adams.
The Board of Coaches acts as an advocate of the pledge and works directly with the coaching community to ensure ongoing compliance. With direct assistance from the Board of Coaches, the Board of Advocates works with James Moore & Co., a confidential third party, to conduct a yearly review. This yearly review randomly selects a meaningful percentage of hires for that year and analyzes their hiring processes to confirm CCDP compliance within signed programs.
The CDDP is not a contract. When a school is found to have ceased compliance, there is no direct punishment. The CDDP Board of Advocates will instead “contact the athletics director to discuss the situation further.”
In response to his signature, Creech told DU Athletics that the pledge is “not a change for our department, but rather a public confirmation that this is a very important issue we wholeheartedly support.” Creech expressed his appreciation for the CDDP and hopes that the pledge’s support will continue to expand nationally.
