Webinar: Keeping DEI at the forefront, presented by the CSC Diversity & Inclusion Committee

College Sports Communicators

Keeping DEI at the forefront presented by the CSC Diversity & Inclusion Committee Keeping diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront in the ever-changing world of college athletics is challenging, but not impossible. In this webinar, the presenters discussed how athletics departments, conference offices and campuses as a whole can continue to experience success in their DEI pursuits by changing the culture and turning talk into actions. They shared ideas and initiatives that have led to DEI successes and how they are active advocates in championing inclusion to make their work environments more diverse. Among the questions asked/topics discussed: • How has DEI evolved over the last several years, and what are our challenges in bringing DEI initiatives and efforts into the workplace? • A discussion of recent anti-DEI legislation and how to combat it. • How are current college student-athletes diving into DEI issues and activism? • What are some ideas to create content and storytelling to raise visibility around DEI issues and to spotlight the diverse student-athlete populations on our campuses? • The importance of elevating and articulating DEI initiatives, particularly in this election year. • How to go about having those difficult conversations when it comes to DEI issues and your colleagues' varying opinions, and the importance of creating space to talk about uncomfortable issues. • How to be an advocate for DEI issues and initiatives and show support. • Ways college sports communicators can encourage student-athletes to come forward with stories in this space. What information can SIDs collect in preseason questionnaires or on media days to enhance storytelling and collect information pertinent to student-athletes (use of preferred pronouns and names, ethnicity acknowledgments, asking DEI questions).