With the number of minority employees in college athletic departments still very small, the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) has decided to take action. By the end of the summer, it plans to introduce legislation that would track whether athletic departments are following institutional guidelines with every hire they make.

"From hiring equipment managers to hiring athletic directors, we want to make sure colleges and universities are following the guidelines set by their institutions," says Rudy Keeling, Chair of the MOIC and Commissioner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference. "Through Title VII, the federal government has said hiring practices need to be inclusive. And if they're not, we need to bring that to light.

"Athletic departments sometimes shortcut the hiring process," Keeling continues. "They say they need to make an emergency hire. But when they shortcut the system, they can leave out the diversity piece."

Currently, Keeling says he sees little accountability in hiring practices. But if there were rules in place to assess hiring practices, he feels opportunities for minorities and women would grow.

The legislation will likely be forwarded to the Executive Committee in September and could go into effect for the 2009-10 school year. "The issue isn't whether colleges hire a minority candidate," says Keeling. "It's whether the process is open.

"This is not something people should get up in arms about," he continues. "All we're asking is that colleges comply with the rules of the federal government."