Female Employees

1

• Female Employees Perceptions of
• Employment Trends in Intercollegiate
• Athletics Programs
• Michael J. Diacin, Gi-Yong Koo, Seung-Yup Lim
• University of Tennessee

2
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Introduction
• Statement of Purpose
• The purpose of this study was to gain insight
  from female intercollegiate athletics department
  employees into cultural and structural factors
  leading to representation patterns among females
  within various positions and operating units in
  intercollegiate athletics departments.

3
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Introduction
• Why this study?
• Desire to blend interests in sport sociology
  management
• Womens experience of sport and leisure
  management is shaped by both cultural and
  structural factors (Aitchison, 2005)
• Why college athletics departments as sites of
  inquiry?
• Sport traditionally considered male domain
  (Shaw Hoeber, 2003)
• Female employees considered outsiders in a
  traditionally natural male environment
  (Whisenant, Pedersen, Obdenour, 2002)

4
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Introduction
• Cultural Factors include
• Social constructions of gender
• Male and Female more than biological
  characteristic
• What is appropriate for men and women in
• Sport participation
• Employment in sport organizations
• Structural factors include
• Responsibilities associated with the position and
  profession

5
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Review of Literature
• Key Information
• Acosta Carpenter (2008)
• Women in Intercollegiate Sport A longitudinal,
  national study, 31 year update
• Administrative Jobs in College Athletics
• Year Total Male Female Female
• 3941 2027 1914 48.6
• 2006 3547 2303 1244 35.2

6
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Review of Literature
• Key Information
• Percentage of Female Athletics Directors by
  Division
• Year All D I D II D III
• 2008 21.3 8.4 18.9 33.7
• 2006 18.6 9.3 17.8 26.6
• Percentage of schools with a female head athletic
  trainer
• Year All D I D II D III
• 2008 27.3 15.2 28.0 36.8
• 2006 27.4 15.3 28.0 37.2

7
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Review of Literature
• Key Information
• Percentage of schools with a female SID
• Year All D I D II D III
• 2008 11.3 8.5 10.3 14.1
• 2006 12.1 9.3 10.5 15.3

8
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Conceptual Framework

Shaping of Representation Patterns
Structural
Cultural
9
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Method
• Description of Participants
• 12 participants at three institutions with
  big-time athletics programs
• Employed in various administrative levels (A.D.,
  Associate A.D., Coordinator, Director)
• Employed in various operating units (General
  Mgmt., Academic Affairs, Compliance, Training,
  Operations)
• Differing lengths of service time (some 20
  years others lt5)

10
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Method
• Data Collection Measures
• Purposeful sampling strategy
• Participants are employed in an athletic
  department
• Initial contact made via written letter
• Follow up contact via-email
• Semi-structured interviews
• 35-45 minutes in length
• Conducted via telephone in person

11
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Findings
• Current State of the Profession
• The culture of intercollegiate athletics
  departments continue to evolve resulting in
  improvement for female employees with regards to
• Access
• Promotion
• Job task significance
• The culture is becoming more gender blind
  however, the structure may continue to be
  influenced by

12
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Findings
• Cultural Factors
• Social constructions of gender upon role
  fulfillment
• Some jobs more appropriate (e.g., advising
  compliance)
• Taking care of the kids
• Fits the nature of women
• Consequence
• Potential for typecasting
• Resulting in lack of advancement to top positions

13
Female Representation in Athletics Depts.

• Findings
• Structural Factors
• Promotion of old coaches to administrative
  positions
• Remnants of the old boys club still in place
• Other factors relating to underrepresentation
• Work-family conflicts
• Extended hours
• Frequent Travel