The Patriot League announced Monday the formation of the Patriot League Anti-Racism Commission, which "will examine areas in which systemic racism is perpetuated and seek actionable solutions for long-term sustainable change" within the league.
According to the league's website, participation of both current and former student-athletes, as well as coaches and administrators, will allow for a partnership across generations to assist in bridging the gap between their experiences, while enhancing the understanding of the student experiences on league campuses and communities. Full members include American University, Boston University, Bucknell, Colgate, the College of the Holy Cross, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Loyola University Maryland, and the U.S. Military and Naval academies.
“The voices and experiences of our current and former student-athletes, coaches and administrators, as brought together by the League, are powerful,” Patriot League commissioner Jennifer Heppel stated on the league website. “The work of the Commission will intersect with existing and planned institutional initiatives and resources in order to maximize the value of the collective whole toward ensuring policies, operations and structure are absent of systemic racism.”
The Commission’s formation stemmed from conversations with a group of Black and Brown head and assistant coaches from multiple sports across the League. They began construction on a strategic and multi-faceted framework to advance intentional dialogue around specific areas, including recruitment, education, creation of support infrastructures and generational impact.
“The formation of the Patriot League’s Anti-Racism commission is a statement to our Black and Brown student-athletes and staff that their lives, experiences and voices matter,” BU women’s basketball head coach Marisa Moseley said. “As competitors and members of this League we have come to know that sport often allows our collective experience to transcend race. Though sport unites, I know we have so much further to go to address the systemic oppressions that are sewn into the fabric of our nation. This Commission is a necessary first step in reimagining a system which has created barriers towards advancement for far too long. In assembling 23 of my Black and Brown colleagues across our conference to partner in this initiative, I have been inspired by our unified commitment for change and reform. I am confident this commission will be a cornerstone of our league for years to come and look forward to engaging with the Patriot League community.”
“The creation of the Patriot League Anti-Racism Commission represents an acknowledgment of the role of systemic racism in athletics and a commitment to combating it within the Patriot League,” added Lafayette College president Alison Byerly, chair of the Patriot League Council of Presidents. “As an athletic conference dedicated to the ideal of a student-athlete experience centered on education and leadership, the Patriot League has an important role to play in the critical work of addressing racial injustice. The Commission will work to ensure that Patriot League policies, operations, and procedures at every level promote an equitable, inclusive, and welcoming environment for our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and communities.”
