Participation and Performance

We have become a society that wants to celebrate diversity more than university (means "turned into one" in Latin) and participation more than performance.

There is no greater evidence of that than what we saw on the football field with Vanderbilt University last Saturday.

Vanderbilt's football team has had a tough year on the field (0-8) this year and ran into further problems leading into last week's game with Missouri when all of its kickers had to sit out due to Covid protocols. The team turned to Sarah Fuller who was the goalkeeper for its women's soccer team that recently won the SEC championship.

Fuller became the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game. However, several other women had previously kicked in other Division 1 games going back as far as 1997. Kent State's April Goss kicked a PAT in a game as recently as 2015. Goss earned that chance after practicing with the team for four years before getting into a game. Fuller had been with the football team less than four days.

Unfortunately, Vanderbilt struggled on the field giving Fuller no chances to kick a PAT or field goal. Her only opportunity to kick the ball came at the beginning of the second half where she squibbed the opening kickoff about 30 yards in what turned out to be a 41-0 loss for Vanderbilt. We are told that was by design but most of the time college coaches are looking for 60-70 yard kickoffs.

Sarah Fuller kicks off vs. Missouri
Credit: www.upi.com

I watched some video of Fuller on the soccer field and she is 6'2" and is clearly stronger than most females. She is a talented goalkeeper. I think it is wonderful that she was willing to help the football team out and was given an opportunity to play. I am disappointed that she was not able to have a greater chance to do more.

However, just having this woman take the field for one play wasn't enough for the woke world we live in today. That did not send the correct diversity message.

The SEC decided that the fact that Fuller merely stepped on the field was reason enough to name Fuller the SEC Special Teams Co-Player of the Week.

Seriously?

She shared the honor with Kadarius Toney from Florida who returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown in a win against Kentucky.

Does it follow that if Fuller gets a chance to kick a PAT next week she will win another Special Teams Player of the Week? She will clearly have performed even better.

What about a field goal in the following game? Another award for Player of the Week?

When you start down a path that places participation and political correctness ahead of performance, skill and merit it is a very slippery slope.

That this is where we find ourselves today should come as now surprise. That is especially the case with anything to do with colleges and universities.

Our universities seem to show increasingly less concern in bringing people together as one in the pursuit of common goals (a "university") such as truth, knowledge, excellence, and are more interested in focusing on those things that categorize and divide people based on identity ("diversity").

Don't mistake me. Diversity is a wonderful attribute and noble value when a range of backgrounds, beliefs and experiences can be used to influence and inform a community or institution to make it better overall.

However, that is not how diversity is used on college campuses or most anywhere else these days. It is not an academic value, its origin and aspirations are only political in nature. I wrote about this last year in a blog post "Diversity at the University".

The one area in most universities where the "diversity" that is practiced most everywhere else does not have an impact is on the athletic fields. Athletics is a true meritocracy at most colleges. Your race, ethnicity or religion does not matter. It doesn't matter if you are from the inner city or a farm. It does not matter your religion or creed. Do you think Nick Saban is held to account because he does not have any players from Maine on his roster? Is a diversity officer going to be all over Coach K because he does not have a white point guard on his team? Does the baseball coach at Texas need to have a Muslim relief pitcher in the bullpen? If they did, would they have better teams?

That rule might have been broken at Vanderbilt. I have heard (per Clay Travis at Outkick Sports) that last year's kicker at Vanderbilt is still on campus as a medical student and had remaining eligibility left. Why didn't they call him?

Let's consider how much colleges and universities have invested in "diversity" instead of promoting "university".

This is the staff at Ohio State University (with salaries) for those with responsibilities for diversity, outreach and inclusion at the school.

Source: https://twitter.com/a_centrism/status/1332850158418145280

Just take a look at some of the position titles.

I counted at least 25 with Director in the job title. There are a lot of Program Coordinators and Program Managers.

How about Equity Investigator? Academic Encourager?

The $10 million payroll would be enough to pay the in-state tuition of about 900 in-state students at Ohio State.

Of course, someone is paying for all of this bureaucracy and that someone is the student. The problem is that a majority of them don't have the money to pay their tuition today so they have to take out student loans.

At Ohio State, 52% of all graduates leave with student debt that averages almost $30,000.

In other words, most of the students who graduate from Ohio State will be paying for all of that diversity for many more years after they are long gone from Columbus.

If this isn't bad enough look at what is happening elsewhere.

Janet Yellen is telling us that if she gets the opportunity to head the U.S. Treasury Department she wants to focus efforts on racial inequality, gender disparities and the climate crisis.

We have over $27 trillion of federal debt. The U.S. government is running deficits of over $3 trillion per year. We are looking at negative GDP for the year due to Covid. 1/3 of small businesses are in danger of going bankrupt. Where do these fit into as priorities with her diversity and climate priorities?

The NASDAQ stock exchange just announced that companies on its exchange must have at least one woman and one minority (racial or LGBTQ)  on their Board of Directors or they will be delisted. 

Of course, earlier this year the Academy Awards announced that starting in 2024 films competing in the Best Picture category must meet at least two of four standards to be considered.

STANDARD A:  ON-SCREEN REPRESENTATION, THEMES AND NARRATIVES
To achieve Standard A, the film must meet ONE of the following criteria:

A1. Lead or significant supporting actors

At least one of the lead actors or significant supporting actors is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.
• Asian
• Hispanic/Latinx
• Black/African American
• Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
• Middle Eastern/North African
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
• Other underrepresented race or ethnicity

A2. General ensemble cast

At least 30% of all actors in secondary and more minor roles are from at least two of the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

A3. Main storyline/subject matter

The main storyline(s), theme or narrative of the film is centered on an underrepresented group(s).
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

STANDARD B: CREATIVE LEADERSHIP AND PROJECT TEAM
To achieve Standard B, the film must meet ONE of the criteria below:

B1. Creative leadership and department heads

At least two of the following creative leadership positions and department heads—Casting Director, Cinematographer, Composer, Costume Designer, Director, Editor, Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, Producer, Production Designer, Set Decorator, Sound, VFX Supervisor, Writer—are from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

At least one of those positions must belong to the following underrepresented racial or ethnic group:
• Asian
• Hispanic/Latinx
• Black/African American
• Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
• Middle Eastern/North African
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
• Other underrepresented race or ethnicity

B2. Other key roles

At least six other crew/team and technical positions (excluding Production Assistants) are from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. These positions include but are not limited to First AD, Gaffer, Script Supervisor, etc.

B3. Overall crew composition
At least 30% of the film’s crew is from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

STANDARD C:  INDUSTRY ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES
To achieve Standard C, the film must meet BOTH criteria below:

C1. Paid apprenticeship and internship opportunities

The film’s distribution or financing company has paid apprenticeships or internships that are from the following underrepresented groups and satisfy the criteria below:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

The major studios/distributors are required to have substantive, ongoing paid apprenticeships/internships inclusive of underrepresented groups (must also include racial or ethnic groups) in most of the following departments: production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity.

The mini-major or independent studios/distributors must have a minimum of two apprentices/interns from the above underrepresented groups (at least one from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group) in at least one of the following departments: production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity.

C2. Training opportunities and skills development (crew)

The film’s production, distribution and/or financing company offers training and/or work opportunities for below-the-line skill development to people from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing
STANDARD D: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
To achieve Standard D, the film must meet the criterion below:

D1. Representation in marketing, publicity, and distribution

The studio and/or film company has multiple in-house senior executives from among the following underrepresented groups (must include individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups) on their marketing, publicity, and/or distribution teams.
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group

• Asian
• Hispanic/Latinx
• Black/African American
• Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
• Middle Eastern/North African
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
• ​Other underrepresented race or ethnicity

• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

It does not seem to matter anymore how skilled you are, how much you know or what you can do. What seems most important is that someone can put you in a box and check it off.

When we talk about diversity it also seems that only certain diversity elements are important.

For example, take our United States Supreme Court and the religious affiliations of the justices.

Source: Wikipedia

Almost half of the population of the United States is Protestant.

There are more Evangelical Protestants than any other religious affiliation in the United States..

However, there is not one Protestant on the highest court in the land let alone an Evangelical.

Why isn't that diversity important?

Amy Coney Barrett is the only Supreme Court Justice that did not go to law school at Harvard or Yale.

Why isn't educational diversity important? Isn't there one qualified person from a state university law school that could serve? 

Another interesting fact that in the entire history of the Supreme Court there have only been seven Justices that have ever been appointed from states admitted to the union on or after the Civil War.

This means that a large number of states west of the Mississippi have never put a Supreme Court justice on the court.

In fact, Florida which is now the third largest state in the union, has never been the original home of a Supreme Court Justice in the entire history of the nation.

Diversity? Why are only some items of diversity important?

We should all strive for diversity. It is a noble value. However, diversity should never overshadow merit.

The story of Sarah Fuller is inspiring. It is uplifting in a downer year. 

However, when we allow diversity to be the end goal rather than a means by which to achieve the best result we have gotten seriously off track.

We should never forget that participation does not equal performance.