Iowa Football Independent Review Complete

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As was previously announced on June 16, the University of Iowa hired the Kansas City law firm Husch Blackwell to conduct an independent review of issues and allegations relating to racial disparities within the football program.


The review included interviews with former and current players as well as coaches, staff, and Department of Intercollegiate Athletics leadership. The firm, which has extensive experience in higher education, reported its findings to the university this week.

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Conclusion

The current and former players who participated in this review described a range of personal experiences, both good and bad, within the Iowa football program. Many are passionate about the program and have had a positive and rewarding experience. Virtually all the players spoke
positively about their position coaches and the influence those coaches have had on their lives, both personally and athletically. Yet numerous players described feeling unhappy and unwelcome, citing to a program culture that they perceive requires strict conformity and rigid adherence to the “mold” of an ideal player, a mold that many Black players felt they could never truly fit because it was built around the stereotype of a clean-cut, White athlete from a midwestern background. Additionally, numerous current and former players and coaches of all races described an environment in which a small number of coaches felt empowered to bully
and demean athletes, especially Black athletes.


In sum, the program’s rules perpetuated racial or cultural biases and diminished the value of
cultural diversity. The program over-monitored players to the point that they experienced heightened anxiety and maintained a culture that allowed a small group of coaches to demean players. We have separately provided four personnel reports to the University summarizing
allegations of mistreatment made against current and former employees so that they may be addressed, as appropriate, pursuant to the institution’s personnel policies and procedures.

Importantly, current players and coaches were uniform in their view that the program has implemented immediate and positive changes since the inception of this review. Players are cautiously optimistic that the coaching staff is listening to their concerns and having genuine
conversations with them around difficult and complicated issues. Finally, both the Athletic Director and Head Coach Ferentz expressed their commitment to rebuild trust with players and foster an environment that embodies the Department’s values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

We recommend that the University work with Athletic Director Barta and Head Coach Ferentz to create action steps aimed at improving the culture of the program, eliminating biases, encouraging student-athletes to report concerns of mistreatment, and amplifying the
University’s policy statement against retaliation within the football program.

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