The National College Athletic Association ranked last for racial hiring practices among all major athletic associations in a study conducted at the University of Central Florida.

“The 2008 Racial and Gender Report Card: College Sport,” led by Dr. Richard Lapchick, produced its 16th report card evaluating the National Basketball Association, Women’s National Basketball Association and the National Football League, along with other major sporting associations.

Although Lapchick was unavailable to comment further, he verified the survey results and grading criteria.

According to Lapchick, whites occupy 88 to 97 percent of jobs among Division I, II and III sports faculty members including head coaches, athletic directors and trainers. Whites also monopolize 90 percent of head coaching positions on men’s teams.

“The NCAA advocates for a fair and open hiring process,” NCAA Associate Director of Public and Media Relations Gail Dent said in an e-mail to The Badger Herald. “The more this happens, the more diverse the ranks of all head coaches will be, including head football coaches.”

Dent noted the NCAA continually works to inspire employers to promote greater diversity among college sports faculty.

“The NCAA will continue to sponsor successful professional-development programs for its members, collaborate with various organizations and continue to advocate for the benefits of diversity and inclusion,” Dent added.

Along with its last-place ranking for racial hiring practices, the NCAA received a mid-rank grade for gender diversity.

Combining rankings for both race and gender in the 2007-08 year, NCAA received a C+, dropping a third of a letter grade from the B- received in last year’s report.

Although the study showed mid-rank grades in overall sports, the average dramatically decreased due to an F for the football program’s lack of race and gender diversity, effectively canceling out the NCAA’s A grade for men’s basketball coaching diversity.

The study followed specific criteria to distribute grades.

To receive an A for race, 24 percent of employees must be people of color, and to earn an A for gender, 40 percent of employees must be women. An F was received if more than 95 percent of employees were white and less than 22 percent of employees were female.

At UW-Madison all 11 head coaches of men’s varsity sports are white males, and only four of 11 head coaches of women’s varsity sports are females. The head coaches of the women’s basketball, rowing, soccer and softball teams are female.

Following the UCF grading agenda, the University of Wisconsin would receive an F for race, at 0 percent, and a B+ for gender, at 36 percent in hiring diversity.

While Wisconsin state law prohibits hiring on the basis of race, gender and color, it does not require universities to hire a minimum percentage of faculty from any category.

“It’s illegal to have a [diversity] quota,” UW spokesperson John Lucas said.

Lucas added the University encourages departments to hire based on qualifications rather than diversity.