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Report: NFL racial hiring up, women hires lagging

By WTOP Staff

KYLE HIGHTOWER
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The NFL set an all-time high for its racial hiring practices, yet continues to struggle with diversity in gender hiring at the team level.

The annual report released Wednesday by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport gave the league its fifth consecutive A for racial hiring and a C-minus for gender hiring. The league received an overall grade of B.

At the league office, the total number of women and people of color employed at or above the vice president level increased by one hire to 32 in 2014, compared to 2013.

At the team level, women accounted for 17 percent of vice presidents in 2012, but just 15 percent in 2013. Women held 37 of 252 available vice president positions in 2012, compared to 39 of the 298 in 2013.

The institute conducted analysis of the demographics of players, managers and coaches by using data from the 2013 season. Information for head coaches, general managers, presidents and owners was updated as of July.

New England, Seattle, Miami, Detroit, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Atlanta and Houston were the only teams in 2013 with more than one woman as a vice president.

The report comes when the NFL is confronting criticism about how its leaders handled recent incidents involving players accused of physical abuse.

Richard Lapchick, the author of the report, said a possible positive outcome may involve teams hiring more diverse employees to help with decision-making processes in the future.

“I wonder if we would have had fewer African Americans in the senior positions in NBA, if the commissioner would have been as resounding in his response to Donald Sterling situation?” Lapchick said. “And I wonder with the Ray Rice situation, if in the NFL more senior women officials were there at the time if they would have been provided a sounding board and the results would have been different in the last month and a half?”

The NFL made a small recovery in diversity among head coaches. The number of minority head coaches dropped to four in 2013, but the addition of Lovie Smith to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers increased the number to five at the start of the 2014 season. The all-time high was eight minority coaches in 2011.

Lapchick believes the improvement in hiring inside the NFL’s league office is the result of its diversity initiatives, which include the NFL Diversity Council and Women’s Interactive Network, established in 2002 and 2011, respectively.

“I think there’s been a concerted effort,” Lapchick said. “(NFL Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer) Robert Gulliver being hired to help the commissioner’s office to increase the number women and people of color has had a big impact. We’ve seen the results increase annually.”

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Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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