Black Male Intercollegiate Athletic Administrators: Ascending the Career Ladder A Qualitative Analysis and a Case Study Keith Michael Champagne A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 2014 Reading Committee: James Antony, Chair Mike Knapp Joe Lott, II Program Authorized to Offer Degree: College of Education ©Copyright by 2014 Keith Michael Champagne All Rights Reserved University of Washington Abstract Black Male Intercollegiate Athletic Administrators: Ascending the Career Ladder A Qualitative Analysis and a Case Study Keith Michael Champagne Chair of Supervisory Committee: Professor of Education Dr. James Antony Educational Leadership and Policy Studies The purpose of this study was to analyze the underrepresentation of Black men in intercollegiate athletic leadership positions at the NCAA Division I level at predominantly White institutions of higher education (PWIHEs). This was accomplished through an analysis of how Black men advance to leadership positions in a setting and profession dominated by White men. Second, the study sought to understand and determine what personal, social, and institutional factors influenced the careers of Black men and what strategies they utilized to limit actual and/or perceived barriers that impact their career success. The participants were eight Black male intercollegiate athletic administrators and two college presidents from major NCAA Division I level PWIHEs from around the country. The research method was a qualitative study and a qualitative case study. The primary data sources were telephone and face-to-face semi-structured interviews with the participants, phone follow-up i conversations, on-site observations at participants’ universities, media releases, and institutional documents. The data were analyzed using open coding and constant and comparative analysis in which four themes emerged from the analysis. These themes were: (1) mentoring, (2) networking, (3) institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion, and (4) institutional racism. ii Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my mother, the late Ms. Agnes Barnes Champagne who always told me that whenever I grew up I could be whoever I wanted to be in terms of professional and career development, and achievement; and my aunt Dr. Bobby Cummings who always believed in and consistently encouraged and prepared me for the educational journey that led to the completion of this dissertation and all that will follow. Bobby, you also stayed close and you challenged and pushed me to start this process, and you insisted that I complete a Ph.D. You also inspired, mentored, and motivated me to be the best. You made me believe that I had a “Winner” in me and that I was always doing my best. You taught me everything that I know about surviving in higher education. iii Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank God. I would also like to acknowledge all of my family, especially my auntie Dr. Bobby Cummings and my mother, the late Ms. Agnes Barnes Champagne. My dear-special friend Ms. Maureen M. Larkins; you have always believed in and loved me; and you have been offering words of wisdom and encouragement ever since we were in the spring of our lives. Next, I would like to thank my advisor Dr. James Antony for believing in my vision and for allowing me the opportunity to engage in and conduct meaningful research. Your support over these past years has been a driving force in my success. I truly appreciate, value, and respect you and your ability to see and relate to me as a student and a colleague. I am forever grateful for our relationship and the impact that you have had on my life academically and professionally. Dr. Jennifer Hoffman, thank you very much for coming over to say hello to me that afternoon in the University Village Starbucks and for giving me the opportunity to present to the IAL Cohort in 2006. You inspired me to choose the University of Washington and you have been a support system for me ever since. Dr. Mike Knapp, thank you very much for being my “Methods Man”. You fought for me to get into the University of Washington and you taught me everything that I needed to know about Qualitative Methods and what I still have left to learn as I continue to develop as a researcher and scholar. Dr. Joe Lott, thank you for always being positive, encouraging, and reminding me of what it means to be a “Real Black man” in a Predominantly White Institution of Higher Education and what is expected in the long term. Dr. Frank Hodge, iv thank you very much for kindly and caringly welcoming me into the Foster School of Business and enriching my educational experience. Also, thank you for all of your encouragement along the way. Each of you has had a lasting impact on me both personally and professionally. v Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ i Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... iv Chapter One .................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Current State of Intercollegiate Athletics at the NCAA Division I Level .................................. 1 Diversity and Leadership in Intercollegiate Athletics: An Illusion ............................................ 6 Bringing a Critical Race Perspective to Intercollegiate Athletics and Sports Management ....... 7 Real Reasons for Underrepresentation in Intercollegiate Athletics ............................................ 8 My Positionality and Personal Investment ................................................................................. 9 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework ................................................................................... 12 Chapter Two .................................................................................................................................. 14 Review of Literature ................................................................................................................. 14 Critical Race Theory ................................................................................................................. 14 Critical Race Theory: The Lens for Understanding and Examining the Experiences of Black Men in Intercollegiate Athletic Administration .................................................................... 14 Applications to Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership and College Sports .............................. 17 Emerging Community of Critical Race Theorists in Intercollegiate Athletics and College Sports .................................................................................................................................... 19 Social Cognitive Career Theory ................................................................................................ 23 The Role of Perceived Barriers in Career Success ............................................................... 25 Summary and Implications of the Literature ............................................................................ 28 Chapter Three ................................................................................................................................ 30 Research Strategy and Design .................................................................................................. 30 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................. 30 Questions to be Answered ........................................................................................................ 30 Design of the Study ................................................................................................................... 31 Section I - Basic Qualitative Research Study ........................................................................... 31 Data Collection Strategy and Procedures ............................................................................. 35 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 36 Section II- A Qualitative Case Study Approach ....................................................................... 39 Data Collection Strategy and Procedures ............................................................................. 46 Data Analysis in Case Studies .............................................................................................. 49 Validity and Reliability ......................................................................................................... 52 Ethics and Ethical Behavior .................................................................................................. 55 Prior Knowledge ................................................................................................................... 55 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................