I am posting this petition on behalf of The Campaign for Change in Kent State Athletics. 

In over a decade on the job, Joel Nielsen has turned the Kent State University Athletic Department into a toxic and unsafe environment. 

We believe Nielsen should be removed from his position as athletic director for reasons including:

• The climate and gender equity problems within the department.

• The fact that discrimination and retaliation against women and insensitivity towards women and minorities is an ongoing concern leading to a torrent of staff turnover and even the filing of a formal EEOC complaint by a former head coach.

• Studies showing only five of the NCAA’s 351 Division I athletic departments have a worse rating than Kent State with regard to women in coaching.

• Emails proving Nielsen was dishonest in an HR investigation concerning sexual harassment and participated in a coverup to protect a sexual predator who put the safety of student athletes and female staff at risk.

Beyond the gender equity issues and toxic climate within the halls of the M.A.C. Center, we are concerned about increasing alienation felt by donors, the community and local businesses. Longtime and potential donors are on record as saying they will not give to Kent State until Nielsen is no longer athletic director. Donations are down. Attendance is down. The relationship with the community is nonexistent. Even the performance of all but three of Kent State’s athletic programs is down significantly during Nielsen’s nine years when compared to the nine years prior to his arrival.

Please join us in calling for Kent State President Todd Diacon and the Kent State University Board of Trustees to remove Nielsen from his office.

To find out more, visit www.removenielsenksu.com