tice activist Stephen Miller, a former adviser to Donald Trump, filed an EEOC complaint against the NFL, trying to keep the league from fixing the problem we all know we have. Miller is calling for the same thing the National Urban League called for two years ago: elimination of the Rooney Rule. However, we were seeking a better way to achieve equal opportunity for candidates of color. Miller is seeking to eliminate opportunities for candidates of color.
Since we met with Commissioner Goodell, the NFL expanded the Rooney Rule to require teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coach and general manager jobs. As we noted at the time, the effect of the rule as it had existed was for team decision-makers to regard interviews with candidates of color as an extraneous step, rather than an integral part of the hiring process.
The coach that Mayo replaced, Bill Belichick, inadvertently proved the ineffectiveness of the Rooney Rule and triggered Flores’ lawsuit when he texted Flores to congratulate him on being named head coach of the New York
Giants — three days before Flores was scheduled to interview for the job.
Belichick thought he was texting Brian Daboll. Not only had the Giants already decided to hire Daboll before even interviewing Flores — presumably to comply with the letter, if not the spirit, of the Rooney Rule — but the team already was sharing the news.
The league also created the Coach and Front Office Accelerator, which allows diverse candidates for positions across the NFL to network with club owners and executives and participate in personal and professional development workshops.
A federal judge ruled in July that Flores, now defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, may proceed to trial with his claims against the NFL, Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Houston Texans, but must pursue his claims against the Dolphins through arbitration.
Regardless of the outcome of Flores’ legal action, he has helped propel the league toward equity and opportunity. Morial is president/ CEO of the National Urban Leaºgue.
itself. With decades of handson, student-facing experience, she is the perfect person to help us build on a rich tradition of student engagement by creating a student experience that leverages the best parts of our past while being focused on how we best prepare our students for success in the future. Columbia College will undoubtedly benefit from her leadership, dedication to community, and genuine care for students.”
Dr. Rouse received her doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds an additional M.Ed. in Student Personnel Services with a Counseling emphasis from the University of South Carolina and a B.A. in Psychology with a second major in Dance from Columbia College. Her vast experience in higher education is coupled with extensive experience in ballet, contemporary, and jazz dance. She has served a number of organizations as a choreographer and instructor, and she is recognized as a Miss America accredited judge. With Dr. Rouse’s wealth of experience and dynamic community involvement, it is clear that she can and will serve the ever-evolving makeup of our student body.
