The news is official, the Department of Education is going to reverse the 2005 guidance.
In March 2005, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the U. S. Department of Education issued the Additional Clarification of the Intercollegiate Athletics Policy. The “Clarification” allows colleges to use student interest web-based surveys that follow specific technical guidelines outlined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to assess students’ athletic interests as a means to demonstrate Title IX compliance with Prong 3 (meeting athletic interests and abilities). According to the OCR, there is no fairer way to measure interest than to ask directly. To provide technical assistance in implementing a viable interest evaluation that is acceptable, the NCES prepared the “Model Survey” and User’s Guide to Developing Student Interest Surveys.
Schools using the surveys incorporate them into college registration forms. The surveys are not “spam emails” sent out to female students as have been characterized.
For more details, go to the College Sports Council blog.
Categories: College News · Save Sports
Tagged: Title IX model surveys
Pacific Coast Classic promotes MOMSS
MOMSS Elite Members can save up to 33% on select admission passes to the 2010 Pacific Coast Classic, USA’s premier men’s gymnastics competition at the Oakland Convention Center in Oakland, CA (February 19-21). This event is in its seventh year and was created to draw awareness to the plight of men’s collegiate gymnastics and is a national platform for supporting collegiate athletic programs in the United States.
In order to continue to encourage and promote college sports and the Fairness in Sports Foundation objectives, USA Sports Management, the host of the Pacific Coast Classic, is offering a special sale for MOMSS with current Elite Memberships. This sale is for a limited time only and ends January 18, 2010. Annual MOMSS Elite Memberships start at $10 and are tax-deductible. Click here to join the MOMSS alliance. (Photo by Heather Maynez)
Categories: Gymnastics · Save Sports
Tagged: collegiate athletics, Gymnastics, men's gymnastics, MOMSS, Pacific Coast Classic, Save Sports
We received a comment from Lisa Lewis of Barnard College who writes for the Columbia Spectator. Here’s a link to her article, “Memo to the NCAA: Title IX is Obsolete.” To this senior in economics, quotas don’t make sense and clearly don’t have a place in intercollegiate athletics. Take a minute to read her insightful post. Thanks Lisa!
Categories: Save Sports
Tagged: quotas, Save Men's Sports, Title IX
Meet Brian Goodell, UCLA Men’s Swimming Team and 1976 Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. Click here to view the video.
‘Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable,
but rather what is impossible.
And by visualizing the impossible,
they begin to see it as possible.’
~ Cherie Carter-Scott
Categories: U.S. Olympic Program · Visualization
Tagged: 1976 Olympics, Brian Goodell, men's swimming, Visualization
Title IX was intended to protect against discrimination – NOT promote athletics on college campuses. This federal law is being used unjustly as a tool to cultivate the interest and athleticism in women and correct for past discrimination (e.g. “If they build it, they will come.”). It is time to restore the original intent of Title IX:
“…no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…”
Title IX is a good law and has greatly expanded opportunities for women across the United States. It was enacted at at time when it was sorely needed. However, Congress’ intent for this nondiscrimination statute has been distorted. Through misinterpretation and misapplication of the statute and its regulatory tools, many universities are ultimately forced to discriminate against men.
Keep reading →
Categories: Save Sports
Tagged: Save Title IX
2-time Olympic Gold Medalist Joins Board
The Fairness in Sports Foundation is pleased to announce that Brian Goodell, 1976 two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (USA Swimming) and UCLA Hall of Fame member, has joined its Board of Trustees. Brian joins other Olympic champions on the Board who have joined together in an impassioned effort to save men’s collegiate athletics. They include: Peter Vidmar (2x Gold & Silver: 1984 Gymnastics), Tim Daggett (Gold & Bronze: 1984 Gymnastics), Karch Kiraly (Gold: 1984 Indoor Volleyball; Gold: 1988 Indoor Volleyball; Gold: 1996 Beach Volleyball), and Wayne Collett (Silver: 1972 Track and Field). “I think what the organization has done so far is outstanding and I hope I can help expand its reach and influence to accomplish the Foundation’s goals,” said Goodell.
As a member of the UCLA men’s swim team, Goodell has been trying to bring men’s swimming back to UCLA since it was dropped in 1994 – the same year the university eliminated its men’s and women’s gymnastics programs. The school restored women’s gymnastics a few months later; however, it would not reinstate the men’s programs despite the number of Olympic and NCAA champions they produced. The Foundation is very fortunate to have such a devoted group of advocates to lead the coalition of coaches, parents, and former athletes in restoring fairness to Title IX.
Categories: Foundation
Tagged: Brian Goodell, Olympian champions, Title IX
To restore the original intent of Title IX, it’s important that we examine its history to truly understand why the author of this bill rallied so hard to enact it. Unfortunately, the intent behind this law has since been distorted due to precedent-setting judicial interpretations and decisions of the federal courts.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is now officially known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act in honor of its principal author. This federal law was renamed by President George W. Bush on October 29, 2002. Keep reading →
Categories: Save Sports
Tagged: Hawai'i politician, Mother of Title IX, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Title IX
UCLA breaks ground for $10M aquatic center
Now here’s one that’s hard to swallow. The UCLA Athletic Department began construction on their $10 million aquatic center on June 30. And who benefits? According to UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero, providing “more aquatic opportunities for our teams, clubs, faculty, staff and students is going to be a win-win situation for everyone.” Everyone except for men’s swimming and diving.
UCLA eliminated men’s swimming and diving teams in 1994. Keep reading →
Categories: College News · Save Sports · Swimming
Tagged: UCLA Aquatic Center, UCLA Spieker Aquatic Center
ASU Men's Swimming back in action for 2008-09
Having raised enough money to reinstate men’s wrestling in just 10 days and now men’s swimming, ASU’s verve and donor support system is pretty impressive. Effective immediately, Arizona State University swimming has been reinstated. According to Simon Percy, ASU men’s assistant swimming coach who led the aggressive fundraising effort, they raised $330,000 in cash. Another $670,000 has been pledged whereby the $1 million raised would cover the program’s operating budget for four years. Percy said donations came from “literally hundreds of donors”.
Lisa Love, ASU Vice President for Athletics, said fundraising for the program will be an ongoing process. To fully endow men’s swimming, $5 million must be raised. Go Sun Devils!
Categories: College News
Tagged: ASU men's swimming, ASU restores men's program
NCAA President says reject surveys
The NCAA Executive Committee is flexing its political muscle. Immediately after the “2005 Additional Clarification of the Intercollegiate Athletics Policy” was issued by the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education, NCAA President Myles Brand told NCAA members to reject it. That is, don’t use Prong 3 of the Title IX’s Three-Prong Test. The Clarification allows the use of student interest surveys to assess the interests and abilities of an institution’s student population.
Brand said, “In my experience, college and university presidents and chancellors almost uniformly favor a strong Title IX. I believe this latest clarification weakens Title IX.” He continued, “The new guidelines will likely stymie the growth of women’s athletics and could reverse the progress made over the last three decades.” Keep reading →
Categories: College News
Tagged: Myles Brand, NCAA, safe harbor, Title IX
