Without responding directly to criticism of its minority hiring practices, University of Louisville athletics added two African-Americans to its department payroll this week.
Friday’s hiring of former U of L linebacker Derek Cowherd as U of L’s Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion follows Monday’s announcement that former Cardinals star Reece Gaines had been offered a position as Cardinal basketball’s Director of Player Development and Alumni Relations.
Both hires address long-standing concerns about a lack of racial diversity in the university’s athletic administration and underscore University President Neeli Bendapudi’s professed desire to make U of L the “premier anti-racist metropolitan research university.”
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“I’m happy, no question,” said former U of L basketball star Jerry Eaves, who brought attention to the athletic department’s hiring in a pointed 2017 letter to former-Athletic Director Tom Jurich. “I think it’s action in the right direction for sure, as long as they do the job they’re supposed to do and not fall in line with the status quo. …
“Dr. Bendapudi is trying.”
U of L still has only one African-American head coach — the women’s tennis team’s Mark Beckham — but the hiring of Cowherd and Gaines amid ongoing budgetary stress would appear to signal a commitment to change. Though attendance restrictions attributable to COVID-19 are no longer an obstacle, U of L athletics reported a $45 million revenue shortfall in April and found it necessary to take out a $20 million loan to cover working capital.
Neither Cowherd nor Gaines’ positions are entirely new, but the basketball development job Gaines will fill was last held by Wayne Turner in 2018. Cowherd takes over the diversity, equity and inclusion role that had belonged to Kristia Worthy before she left for another position in May, but with an upgraded title and expanded responsibilities.
“I’m happy to see they’re trying to make some positive strides,” said former U of L basketball star Butch Beard, who asked to be disassociated from his alma mater in January. “Let’s hope this goes in the right direction. I can’t say anything else until I see what happens six months from now, a year from now.”
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Cowherd, who returns to U of L after stints at LSU, Mississippi, Ohio State and, most recently, the Indianapolis-based Third Eye Consulting Group, will serve as athletics’ chief diversity officer. His stated responsibilities will include overseeing the department’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and provide expertise “to resolve significant and complex issues.”
“As a student athlete, he made a great impression on his teammates and coaches,” U of L Athletic Director Vince Tyra said in a prepared statement. “As an athletics and academics administrator, he had the same impact on constituents from various areas attached to campus and athletics. His depth and breadth of his experience in diversity, equity and inclusion will add great value to the strides that we have made over the last handful of years. He will allow us to further stretch that impact across campus and our community as much as our department.”
Tim Sullivan: 502-582-4650, tsullivan@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @TimSullivan714
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