The Pac-12 announced plans Wednesday to hire a new head of diversity and inclusion, while also adding an advisory group and scheduling forums to address social justice and anti-racism issues.
The announcement comes after the conference held its first virtual coach and athlete forum on Monday, featuring Condoleezza Rice, Chiney Ogwumike and Steve Kerr along with over 250 current Pac-12 athletes.
The Pac-12's head of diversity and inclusion position will be involved with minority hiring and advancement while working with plans to combat racism.
The conference's social justice and anti-racism advisory group will advise the Pac-12 CEO Group (school presidents and chancellors), the Pac-12 Council and commissioner Larry Scott. It will be co-chaired by Washington State AD Pat Chun and USC faculty athletics representative Alan Green and have representatives from all 12 universities.
Also, as part of a new series of virtual forums for coaches and athletes, the Pac-12 will hold a coaches’ forum on July 21 that will address racism and promoting social justice within their programs.
“Social justice has always been an important value and principle for the Pac-12, our member universities and our student-athletes,” Scott said in a Pac-12 statement. “Now is the time to strengthen our efforts, to listen, to learn and to do more. Today’s announcements represent an important series of first steps as we seek to do the right thing to make our communities and society more humane, just and free of racism.”
