The Supply and Demand Side of Occupational Segregation: The Case of an Intercollegiate Athletic Department Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The demographic composition of intercollegiate athletic departments mirror general societal trends, in that racial minorities are clustered in certain positions. The purpose of this study was to examine why racial minorities are over-represented in academic support positions, such as life skill coordinators and academic supervisors/advisors, but under-represented in other administrative staff and senior level positions. Through the use of a case study methodology, this study investigated this occurrence in one Division I athletic department. Seven senior level administrators and seven academic advisors participated in the study. Findings of the study revealed that both supply and demand forces were in effect. Racial minorities' entry into academic support positions was found to be a result of them having a higher preference for these positions and a result of structural limitations on their options, such as the occurrence of discrimination, outcomes of hiring practices, and lack of career role models and social networks. Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2008.

published proceedings

  • Journal of African American Studies

altmetric score

  • 0.85

author list (cited authors)

  • McDowell, J., Cunningham, G. B., & Singer, J. N.

citation count

  • 16

complete list of authors

  • McDowell, Jacqueline||Cunningham, George B||Singer, John N

publication date

  • December 2009