Goal One: Implement mandatory educational opportunities for coaches and staff to further their understanding of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
- Step One: Collaborate with Dialogue on Race Louisiana to allow coaches and staff to participate in the community programming
- Step Two: Facilitate interactive sessions covering uncomfortable topics regarding race (examples: kneeling for the national anthem, the Black Lives Matter movement, Jim Crow laws, separate but equal, police brutality, etc.) Examples of these sessions include, but are not limited to:
- Host speakers to discuss social justice
- Facilitate dialogue with individuals who have been personally impacted by racial inequality
- Host book club discussions
- Host movie watching opportunity and discussion
- Step Three: Create an annual diversity education training program with a certificate of completion
- Step Four: Build a digital Diversity, Equity & Inclusion resource library to be accessible to student-athletes, coaches, staff, and the community
- Step Five: Assessment of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion understanding and departmental efforts integrated into all employee evaluations
Goal Two: Create a hiring manager training program to directly impact the recruitment, hiring, training, development and retention of underrepresented/marginalized individuals.
- Step One: Collaborate with the Office of Diversity on training workshops
- Step Two: Create accountability process for hiring managers
- Step Three: Include an inclusivity/diversity statement on each job posting
- Step Four: Create hiring advocates to utilize for all open positions
- Step Five: Create a review process to evaluate hiring process after each hire
- Step Six: Create a program to require coaches and staff to continuously provide names of potential candidates for any athletics jobs to grow a database of underrepresented candidates
Goal Three: Increase the number of underrepresented coaches in the athletics department
- Step One: Track the racial demographics of full-time coaches
- Step Two: Evaluate the Russell Rule and Rooney Rule for potential implementation
- Step Three: Utilize hiring manager training
- Step Four: Ensure hiring practices that align with the goals created by the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Councils.
- Step Five: Implement a formal retention and promotion program designed to focus on underrepresented coaches
Goal Four: Increase the number of underrepresented staff in the Athletics Department
- Step One: Track the racial demographics of full-time staff
- Step Two: Evaluate the Russell Rule and Rooney Rule for potential implementation
- Step Three: Utilize hiring manager training
- Step Four: Ensure hiring practices that align with the goals created by the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Councils.
- Step Five: Implement a formal retention and promotion program designed to focus on underrepresented staff
Goal Five: Implement an orientation program designed to provide a welcoming, informative and educational opportunity for new employees and their families
- Step One: Email introduction of new employees with details about the individual and his/her family to create dialogue and connections among staff.
- Step Two: Provide a contact for new employees outside of their department
- Step Three: Create a required diversity educational component for all new employees
- Step Four: Formalize the onboarding process for new employees to encompass the Athletic Department diversity statement and other Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Councils’ initiatives within welcome packets
Goal Six: Implement a professional development program designed to provide opportunities for underrepresented employees
- Step One: Formalize a program that encourages personal and professional growth that includes sharing the tools and experiences learned through growth opportunities with others at LSU
- Step Two: Create mentorship and shadowing opportunities within the Athletic Department
- Step Three: Provide information about and encourage participation in external leadership development opportunities
- Step Four: Formalize a program that ensures staff leadership is aware of career aspirations of underrepresented coaches and staff
Goal Seven: Promote voter registration and voter turnout initiatives
- Step One: Educate coaches and staff on the history of voting and the electoral college
- Step Two: Promote voter registration
- Step Three: Promote “Get Out the Vote” (GOTV)
- Step Four: Acknowledge and celebrate voter participation
Goal Eight: Create a departmental culture where employees feel appreciated and valued
- Step One: Implement culture climate exit interviews for employees
- Step Two: Implement a way to celebrate employees and their accomplishments (i.e.: employee of the month)
- Step Three: Implement a diversity component on all employee performance evaluations
- Step Four: Create team/department building social support and connections
- Step Five: Create health and wellness programming
- Step Six: Implement formalized annual retention check-ins with employees to assess experience