Dartmouth Athletics Earns Perfect AEI Score from Athlete Ally
6/25/2021 2:28:00 PM | Athletics, Peak Performance
HANOVER, N.H. – Dartmouth Athletics received a perfect score on Athlete Ally's Athletic Equality Index (AEI), indicating the Big Green's support for its LGBTQIA+ athletes.
Athlete Ally is a leading national nonprofit working at the intersection of sport and LGBTQ+ equality. The organization's mission is to end the rampant homophobia and transphobia in sport and to activate the athletic community to exercise their leadership to champion equality.
Dartmouth is one of just 12 schools nationally to reach the 100 mark, joining Arizona, Boston University, UC Davis, Columbia, George Mason, Illinois, Kent State, Miami, Ohio State, Penn and USC.
The Index, which was established in 2017 and has received updates twice since then, reflects how well NCAA athletic departments are supporting their LGBTQ+ student-athletes, coaches, administrators, staff and fans.
In the AEI, athletic departments are measured by the following:
· Nondiscrimination policy
· Sexual harassment policy
· Annual partnership/collaboration with LGBTQ+ groups
· Pro-LGBTQ+ trainings for staff and athletes
· Trans inclusion policy
· Fan code of conduct
· LGBTQ+ educational resources
Ian Connole, the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Peak Performance, and the Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Designee, was pleased with the score increase from March. "One of our student-athletes (Jason Norris '24), wrote a story for The Dartmouth a couple of months ago that discussed how Dartmouth's initial AEI score of 40 out of 100 did not necessarily represent the experience of inclusion within athletics.
"We are proud that we can celebrate a 100 score today because of greater transparency in our policies and practices, but that doesn't mean we don't have work to do," Connole continued. "Creating a culture that celebrates inclusive excellence requires ongoing efforts and buy-in from student-athletes, coaches, administration and our campus community. We look forward to continuing to cultivate a community where all student-athletes can develop, compete and thrive."
To enhance departmental efforts to promote inclusion, Connole met with the eight head coaches who make up the Coaches for Inclusive Excellence committee on a biweekly basis over the past year to address departmental efforts to promote inclusion. One direct result of this committee, which enhanced the AIE score, was a series of staff trainings led by the Dartmouth Office of Institutional Diversity & Equity (IDE) entitled Cultivating an Inclusive Community in Athletics and Beyond.
For more information on Dartmouth Athletics' diversity and inclusion policies, click here.
