Oregon Legislators Propose Requiring State Universities to Interview Minority Candidates for Head Coaching Positions

A committee of the House of Representatives in Oregon has drafted a bill that calls for all publicly operated colleges and universities in the state to interview at least one minority candidate for all openings as head coach of any college team. Minority candidates would also have to be interviewed for the position of athletic director.

Originally the bill applied only to head football coaches but legislators amended the proposed law to include coaches for all intercollegiate sports. Critics of the bill point out that finding “qualified” minority candidates for every coaching position may prove to be difficult, if not impossible, in the predominantly white state of Oregon.

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