Perceptions of the Fiscal Challenges Facing Athletic Departments of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17161/jis.v14i1.13469Keywords:
HBCU, finances, collegiate athletics, administration, NCAAAbstract
Research has shown the athletic departments of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) do not generate significant revenue. The financial struggle facing HBCU athletic departments can be explained using Resource Dependency theory. Specifically, as HBCUs are the most under-resourced member institutions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the numbers prove how these institutions do not have the funds to invest in their programs. The purpose of this study is to explore the fiscal challenges facing HBCU athletic departments. To gather this information, two different groups of participants were interviewed to obtain an independent and insider perspective of the challenges. Phenomenology was the methodological approach for this study as each participant had the opportunity to discuss their unique view of the current financial state of HBCU athletic departments. Participants took part in semi-structured interviews framed around fiscal challenges. This study contributes to the growing body of literature addressing HBCU athletics by providing an exploration of current fiscal challenges facing the institutions.
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References
2019 NCAA Convention. Division II Second Publication of Proposed Legislation. Retrieved from https://web3.ncaa.org/lsdbi/reports/getReport/90005
Albritton, T. J. (2012). Educating our own: The historical legacy of HBCUs and their relevance for educating a new generation of leaders. Urban Review, 44, 311–331.
Arnett, A. (2014, December 18). State of HBCUs. Retrieved from www.diverseeducation.com
Bannister, N. (2014, April 10). Ghosts of athletics past haunt HBCUs. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-366082695/ghosts-of-athletics-past-haunt-hbcus
Bracey, E. (2017). The significance of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the 21st century: Will such institutions of higher learning survive? American Journal of Economics & Sociology, 76, 670–696.
Bopp, T., & Sagas, M. (2012). An examination of African American NCAA DI-FBS football coaches: a five-year update. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 5, 153–169.
Bozeman, B., & Faye, D. (2013). Minority football coaches’ diminished careers: why is the “pipeline” clogged? Social Science Quarterly, 94, 29-58.
Brinkmann, S. (2013). Qualitative interviewing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Brod, M., Tesler, L. E., & Christensen, T. L. (2009). Qualitative research and content validity: developing best practices based on science and experience. Quality of Life Research, 18, 1263–1278.
Camera, L. (2017). Keeping a promise to HBCUs. U.S. News. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=b59e063f-9739-46b1-8b1b-1c29faad471a%40sessionmgr4009
Cheeks, G., & Carter-Francique, A. R. (2015). HBCUs versus HWCUs: A critical examination of institutional distancing between collegiate athletic program. Race, Gender & Class, 22(1-2), 23-35.
Cianfrone, B. A., Pitts, B. G., Zhang, J. J., Byrd, C., & Drane, D. D. (2010). A market segmentation analysis of Historically Black College and Univesity “Classic” attendees. Presentation at the 2010 North American Society for Sport Management.
Cooper, J., Dougherty, S. (2015). Does race still matter?: A post bowl championship series (BCS) era examination of student athletes’ experiences at a division I historically Black college/university and predominantly white institution (PWI). Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 8, 74–101.
Cooper, J., Hawkings, B. (2014). The transfer effect: A critical race theory examination of Black male transfer student-athletes’ experience. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 7, 80–104.
Cooper, J., Hawkings, B. (2012). A place of opportunity: black male student-athletes' experiences at a historically black university. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 5, 170–188.
Cooper, N., Cavil, J. K., & Cheeks, G. (2014). The state of intercollegiate athletics at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs): Past, present, & persistence. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 7, 307– 332.
Cooper, J. N., Porter, C. J., Daivs, T. J. (2017). Success through community cultural wealth: Reflection from black female college athletes at a historically Black college/university (HBCU) and a Historically White Institution (HWI). Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 10, 129 – 156.
Crotty, M. (1998). Foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
DII Social Media (2018). Retrieved from http://d2socialmedia.com/list/conf/
Elliott, K.P., Kellison, T. (2018). Assessing spectator response to sport sponsorships
at historically black colleges and universities. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 10, 22–33.
Elliott, K. P., Kellison, T. & Cianfrone, B.A. (2019). Budgeting for success: Comparing finances between historically black colleges and universities and predominantly white institutions. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 12, 25–42.
Gasman, M. (2009). Historically black colleges and universities in a time of economic crisis. Academe, 9, 26–28.
Johnson, M. N. (2013). Financial and related issues among Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 6, 65–75.
Jones, W. (2015). Do college rankings matter? Examining the influence of “America’s Best Black Colleges” on HBCU undergraduate admissions. American Journal of Education, 122.
Jones, W., & Bell, L. (2016). Status report on HBCU athletics: participation, finances, and student experiences. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, 10, 48–74.
Lillig, J. (2009). "Magic" or misery?: HBCUs, guarantee contracts, and public policy. Journal of Sports Law & Contemporary Problems, 6(41), 41-71.
Lee, J. M. & Keys, S. W. (2013). Repositioning HBCUs for the future: Access, success, research, & innovation. APLU Office of Access and Success Discussion Paper 2013-01. Washington, DC: Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.
National Collegiate Athletic Association. (2018, April 13). Retrieved from http://www.ncaa.org/about/where-does-money-go
Robbins, G., Gilbert, J., Clifton, A. (2015). Coaching stressors in a Division II historically black university. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 8, 183–205.
Salancik, G. R., & Pfeffer, J. (1977). Who gets power – and how they hold on to it. Organizational Dynamics, 5, 3–21.
Savage, G. (2017). An uncertain future of the nation’s oldest HBCU. Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 34, 21–22.
Stuart, R. (2017). Financial anxiety. Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 34, 10–11.
Taylor, S., Bogdan, R., & Devalut, M. L. (2016). Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Trahan, T. (2012). Hampered by small budgets and larger institutional problems, once-proud HBCU football programs are Division I competitors in name only. Would they be better off dropping down to Division II? Vice Sports.
2019 NCAA Convention. Division II Second Publication of Proposed Legislation. Retrieved from https://web3.ncaa.org/lsdbi/reports/getReport/90005
Albritton, T. J. (2012). Educating our own: The historical legacy of HBCUs and their relevance for educating a new generation of leaders. Urban Review, 44, 311–331.
Arnett, A. (2014, December 18). State of HBCUs. Retrieved from www.diverseeducation.com
Bannister, N. (2014, April 10). Ghosts of athletics past haunt HBCUs. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-366082695/ghosts-of-athletics-past-haunt-hbcus
Bracey, E. (2017). The significance of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the 21st century: Will such institutions of higher learning survive? American Journal of Economics & Sociology, 76, 670–696.
Bopp, T., & Sagas, M. (2012). An examination of African American NCAA DI-FBS football coaches: a five-year update. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 5, 153–169.
Bozeman, B., & Faye, D. (2013). Minority football coaches’ diminished careers: why is the “pipeline” clogged? Social Science Quarterly, 94, 29-58.
Brinkmann, S. (2013). Qualitative interviewing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Brod, M., Tesler, L. E., & Christensen, T. L. (2009). Qualitative research and content validity: developing best practices based on science and experience. Quality of Life Research, 18, 1263–1278.
Camera, L. (2017). Keeping a promise to HBCUs. U.S. News. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=b59e063f-9739-46b1-8b1b-1c29faad471a%40sessionmgr4009
Cheeks, G., & Carter-Francique, A. R. (2015). HBCUs versus HWCUs: A critical examination of institutional distancing between collegiate athletic program. Race, Gender & Class, 22(1-2), 23-35.
Cianfrone, B. A., Pitts, B. G., Zhang, J. J., Byrd, C., & Drane, D. D. (2010). A market segmentation analysis of Historically Black College and Univesity “Classic” attendees. Presentation at the 2010 North American Society for Sport Management.
Cooper, J., Dougherty, S. (2015). Does race still matter?: A post bowl championship series (BCS) era examination of student athletes’ experiences at a division I historically Black college/university and predominantly white institution (PWI). Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 8, 74–101.
Cooper, J., Hawkings, B. (2014). The transfer effect: A critical race theory examination of Black male transfer student-athletes’ experience. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 7, 80–104.
Cooper, J., Hawkings, B. (2012). A place of opportunity: black male student-athletes' experiences at a historically black university. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 5, 170–188.
Cooper, N., Cavil, J. K., & Cheeks, G. (2014). The state of intercollegiate athletics at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs): Past, present, & persistence. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 7, 307– 332.
Cooper, J. N., Porter, C. J., Daivs, T. J. (2017). Success through community cultural wealth: Reflection from black female college athletes at a historically Black college/university (HBCU) and a Historically White Institution (HWI). Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 10, 129 – 156.
Crotty, M. (1998). Foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
DII Social Media (2018). Retrieved from http://d2socialmedia.com/list/conf/
Elliott, K.P., Kellison, T. (2018). Assessing spectator response to sport sponsorships
at historically black colleges and universities. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 10, 22–33.
Elliott, K. P., Kellison, T. & Cianfrone, B.A. (2019). Budgeting for success: Comparing finances between historically black colleges and universities and predominantly white institutions. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 12, 25–42.
Gasman, M. (2009). Historically black colleges and universities in a time of economic crisis. Academe, 9, 26–28.
Johnson, M. N. (2013). Financial and related issues among Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 6, 65–75.
Jones, W. (2015). Do college rankings matter? Examining the influence of “America’s Best Black Colleges” on HBCU undergraduate admissions. American Journal of Education, 122.
Jones, W., & Bell, L. (2016). Status report on HBCU athletics: participation, finances, and student experiences. Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education, 10, 48–74.
Lillig, J. (2009). "Magic" or misery?: HBCUs, guarantee contracts, and public policy. Journal of Sports Law & Contemporary Problems, 6(41), 41-71.
Lee, J. M. & Keys, S. W. (2013). Repositioning HBCUs for the future: Access, success, research, & innovation. APLU Office of Access and Success Discussion Paper 2013-01. Washington, DC: Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.
National Collegiate Athletic Association. (2018, April 13). Retrieved from http://www.ncaa.org/about/where-does-money-go
Robbins, G., Gilbert, J., Clifton, A. (2015). Coaching stressors in a Division II historically black university. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 8, 183–205.
Salancik, G. R., & Pfeffer, J. (1977). Who gets power – and how they hold on to it. Organizational Dynamics, 5, 3–21.
Savage, G. (2017). An uncertain future of the nation’s oldest HBCU. Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 34, 21–22.
Stuart, R. (2017). Financial anxiety. Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 34, 10–11.
Taylor, S., Bogdan, R., & Devalut, M. L. (2016). Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Trahan, T. (2012). Hampered by small budgets and larger institutional problems, once-proud HBCU football programs are Division I competitors in name only. Would they be better off dropping down to Division II? Vice Sports.
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2021-02-26
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Copyright (c) 2021 Kelly Elliott, Timothy Kellison
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Elliott, K., & Kellison, T. (2021). Perceptions of the Fiscal Challenges Facing Athletic Departments of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.17161/jis.v14i1.13469
