Title IX under scrutiny and adversity
Dan Brown REPORTER
Issue date: 11/17/09 Section: Opinion
Title IX was enacted in 1972 to open up educational opportunities for high school and college females. The most significant part of Title IX was the impact it had on athletics, but the rule has resulted in the cancelling of sports at universities trying to comply with the rule.
There are three ways for universities to comply with Title IX. The first is to have athletic participation equal to enrollment, the second is to show continued program expansion towards the underrepresented sex and the third is to show they have satisfied interests of the underrepresented sex.
Universities have options to comply with Title IX but have chosen to cut programs. A report on ESPN.com in 2006 stated James Madison University cut 10 teams from their athletics, 7 men's teams and 3 women's, to comply with Title IX. West Virginia University has cut its men's track team. In 2009 Northern Iowa University was looking to cut costs. Due to the male- to-female athlete ratio they had to choose a men's sport, and baseball found itself on the chopping block. Marquette University cut their wrestling team. Wrestling, field hockey, swimming, track, lacrosse, sports like these are feeling the effects of Title IX.
Elaine Jacobs, associate athletic director at Youngstown State University, said the blame shouldn't be placed on women or the rule but rather the athletic directors and presidents of universities who continue to allow out of control spending on men's basketball and football.
"No one wants to cut back," Jacobs said.
Some assume that football and men's basketball are big money makers. Gary Biggs, of the YSU Hockey Club team, follows this line of thinking.
"Basketball and football are the big money makers in college sports and if the school cuts money from them less money will be brought in which could potentially lead to cuts around campus and programs such as ours," Biggs said.
But Jacobs says this isn't the case and it's wrong to assume that football and basketball generate revenue.
There are three ways for universities to comply with Title IX. The first is to have athletic participation equal to enrollment, the second is to show continued program expansion towards the underrepresented sex and the third is to show they have satisfied interests of the underrepresented sex.
Universities have options to comply with Title IX but have chosen to cut programs. A report on ESPN.com in 2006 stated James Madison University cut 10 teams from their athletics, 7 men's teams and 3 women's, to comply with Title IX. West Virginia University has cut its men's track team. In 2009 Northern Iowa University was looking to cut costs. Due to the male- to-female athlete ratio they had to choose a men's sport, and baseball found itself on the chopping block. Marquette University cut their wrestling team. Wrestling, field hockey, swimming, track, lacrosse, sports like these are feeling the effects of Title IX.
Elaine Jacobs, associate athletic director at Youngstown State University, said the blame shouldn't be placed on women or the rule but rather the athletic directors and presidents of universities who continue to allow out of control spending on men's basketball and football.
"No one wants to cut back," Jacobs said.
Some assume that football and men's basketball are big money makers. Gary Biggs, of the YSU Hockey Club team, follows this line of thinking.
"Basketball and football are the big money makers in college sports and if the school cuts money from them less money will be brought in which could potentially lead to cuts around campus and programs such as ours," Biggs said.
But Jacobs says this isn't the case and it's wrong to assume that football and basketball generate revenue.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
jack dumas
posted 11/24/09 @ 4:26 PM EST
Elaine Jacobs, associate athletic director at Youngstown State University, said the blame shouldn't be placed on women or the rule but rather the athletic directors and presidents of universities who continue to allow out of control spending on men's basketball and football. (Continued…)
Demonspawn
posted 11/30/09 @ 6:55 PM EST
"There are three ways for universities to comply with Title IX."
The article forgot the forth way:
Make all sports gender-neutral and allow the "equal" women to compete with the men for spots on the team. (Continued…)
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