To the North Central College Athletics Community:
 
Over the past few weeks, and in response to events around the nation and within our own community, we in the North Central College Athletics Department have been examining our behaviors, operations, and actions as they pertain to how we serve our Black student athletes. We have also taken stock of ourselves personally and acknowledge that we have fallen short in providing the kind of student athlete experience that everyone in a Cardinal uniform should be able to expect.
 
Our Black student athletes highlighted the fundamental truths of racism and racial inequities in our country, and we made them feel unsupported and isolated. Additionally, the feedback we received on social media, emails and other communication further informed us that we were complacent about the climate experienced by our Black student athletes. Each of us in the Athletics Department is truly sorry. Our Black student athletes deserved much better from us, and we now have a distinct responsibility to do the work required to create authentic change.
 
I had the important opportunity to address the College community as one of several panelists during our recent Town Hall. I briefly touched on the initiatives below, and wanted to be sure you received this message outlining our plan as an Athletics Department. Along with Jim Miller, Athletic Director, Sue Kane, Associate Athletic Director and James Kluckhohn, Assistant Athletic Director, we have been putting together a plan that we believe, along with your ideas, thoughts and encouragement, will help us create a better North Central College athletics program.
 
As part of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, here are the action steps we will be taking in the Athletics Department. These action steps are the beginning of changes that will occur within the department, and additional changes will come based on feedback from the athletics community, the Athletics Diversity Council (ADC), the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force, and other groups.
 

1. We are creating an Athletics Diversity Council, consisting of students, coaches, staff, alumni, and faculty that will help provide guidance and perspective along with establishing goals and benchmarks to mark our collective progress. Additionally, the Athletics Diversity Council will work closely with the College's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. We will announce the ADC membership and charge no later than August 10.
2. The ADC, in conjunction with the DEI Task Force and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, will help plan and host forums on racism in society and athletics to provide a deeper understanding of Black history and experiences in our culture, and to engage student athletes, coaches, and administrators in meaningful dialogue. The Athletics Department and I welcome the opportunity to host these forums. We will announce a schedule for the fall semester no later than September 1.
3. We are making a commitment to further diversifying our staff to include more Black coaches, assistant coaches and other athletics staff. In doing so, we will seek guidance from the ADC and the DEI Task Force to identify and change systemic barriers in our recruitment and hiring practices, and we will train our search committees on preventing implicit bias in the hiring process.
4. Our Athletics Department, including student athletes, coaches, staff, and administrators, will participate in extensive anti-racism and allyship training. We are committed to this training as a department, and will share more details later this summer.
5. Please look for our new "Be the Change" social-media campaign this fall, which aims to give our student athletes, as well as coaches, administrators, staff members, and teams, the opportunity to share their own commitment to being anti-racist.

 
The College established a website where our collective diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts can be shared with the campus community, which will include the Athletics Department's initiatives. Included on that website is a form where you are invited to share your thoughts and feedback. The information collected here will help inform specific actions we will take toward making the Athletics Department more inclusive. You are welcome to fill out the form multiple times. We will also add our initiatives to the athletics website, where we will continue to track our progress.
 
This is an important time of change and please know the Athletics Department is committed to investing the energy, diligence, and resources necessary to better serve and support our Black student athletes, and to evolving as individuals and leaders within our North Central Community.
 
Thank you.
Martin Sauer, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Athletics