This is some Trumpian level bullshit right here. Everybody was saying ..
Trumpian BS or not, turns out what I was told was 100% Correct.
I don't believe it would be 100% correct. You said you heard Nellis wanted to be able to say he hired the first female AD. Can you then find any quotes then following this up where Nellis then championed that he hired the first female AD? If this was his goal, I think he would've been out there touting this great achievement. Just because you heard a rumor (listed behind anonymous sources) that he wanted to hire a female AD and then a female was hired does not mean that she was hired because she was a female. I am amazed by this hearsay logic you are using.
https://www.ohio.edu/news/2019/08/julie-cromer-named-dire... Here's the press release of her hire back in 2019. The quote from Nellis at the time of her hire was:
“We’re excited to welcome Julie to my leadership team at Ohio University,” said President Nellis. “Her talent, vision, and passion for intercollegiate athletics and the student-athlete experience will only serve to elevate our athletic program and our University. With a keen understanding and focus for ways in which athletics can serve as a front porch for our University, Julie is especially poised to enhance our athletics program, bolster our student-athlete experience, and increase academic engagement, and I am confident that Julie is the right person to lead our Bobcat Athletics family as we move forward.”
He never mentions that she is the first female athletic director for Ohio. He mentions she is the 'right person' and says in a separate part that: 'Cromer stood out from among four finalists who visited campus in early August because of the depth of her experience across the athletics landscape, including day-to-day administration of 19 varsity sports, leading strategic planning efforts, assisting with capital fundraising, and serving as a liaison to campus governance groups and to the Southeastern Conference.'
If he wanted to be able to say he hired the first female AD, why isn't he, you know, saying it? You've accepted that it must've been a DEI hire because you heard a couple of people whispering when you were at OHIO (sounds like strong sourcing) and then you felt validated. However, in no way does it look on paper that she was a DEI hire. She was likely the most qualified of the four finalists and then was chosen. But, you've dug your heels in at this point, so I doubt you're going to change your view.