Pac-12 Conference Announces Steps To Combat Racism, Promote Social Justice

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Pac-12 Conference announced multiple steps to combat racism and promote social justice.

The conference released a statement on Wednesday, July 1, with “a series of initial steps to promote social justice and combat racism, including the creation of a new head of diversity and inclusion position at the Conference.”

The Pac-12’s statement was released shortly after the University of Utah announced that Utes’ defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley had been reinstated from an indefinite suspension that was followed by an investigation into his use of a racial slur back in 2013.

“Social justice has always been an important value and principle for the Pac-12, our member universities and our student-athletes,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said in the statement. “Now is the time to strengthen our efforts, to listen, to learn and to do more.  Today’s announcements represent an important series of first steps as we seek to do the right thing to make our communities and society more humane, just and free of racism.”

Pac-12 announces initial steps to combat racism & promote social justice, including:

▪️Newly-created Pac-12 head of diversity & inclusion
▪️Social justice & anti-racism advisory group
▪️Student-athlete & coach anti-racism forums

Full info ➡️ https://t.co/9Cm2VbMkwS#BackThePac

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) July 1, 2020

The conference highlighted that it had formed an advisory group for social justice and anti-racism with a “cross section of university athletics and academic leaders and student-athletes, representing all 12 universities, and the launch of a series of student-athlete and coach anti-racism virtual forums.”

The Pac-12 held its first forum with the group on June 29. The forum included the following high profile figures as panelists:

• Dr. Condoleezza Rice (current Stanford professor and former Secretary of State)
• Steve Kerr (former Arizona student-athlete and current Golden State Warriors head coach)
• Chiney Ogwumike (former Stanford student-athlete and current WBNA standout)
• Eric Kendricks (former UCLA student-athlete and current NFL star)

In addition to the advisory group, the Pac-12 also created a new head of diversity and inclusion position within the conference.