Title IX

[jrish12]

Wanted to pose this question here as I just received some bad news, not personally but it affects alot of my friends.

I am a recent graduate of Truman State University in Kirksville, MO, a NCAA D II athletic program. For those who dont know, the enrollment is about the size of Bradley, but with a D II athletic program. Today the board of governors cut funding to 5 mens sports: Baseball, golf, swimming, tennis, and wrestling. I realize athletic cuts are just part of what is happening right now, and I get that. But is it fair to male athletes that most female athletes never have to worry about their sport being cut due to title IX? Maybe I am being short sided in viewing this, but when 5 male sports and zero female sports get cut, I feel that is an unfair balance. Even if it is 4 male sports and 1 female sport it is more even than cutting 5 mens athletic programs.

Like I said, I may just be short sided and not viewing the whole situation, and maybe im just venting, but I thought I would pose the question here.

Thoughts?

[tornado]

The costs of Title IX are part of it but so are the general costs of running college sports programs, the cuts in funding and poor economy...

Title IX is the worst and most hypocritical thing that has happened to college sports in my lifetime -- claiming it improves fairness, while actually hurting at least ONE (and often more) college athlete (generally a male) for every one female it helps.

If you want to see the height of ludicrous....
here;s an example...

Eastern Illinois which wants to keep its football and other men's programs, HAS to fins sports to give women's schoalrships away in order to fulfill the Title IX requirements...

Here's what they have come up with...

WOMEN'S RUGBY.....yup and they are hosting tryouts, meaning anyone can try out and maybe even get a scholarship....this way they keep costs way, way down -- since the players come to them and there's no recruiting budget at all..and rugby isn't as expensive as most sports -- they really don't use much equipment and they just play on an open field in a park!

they actually put this line into their announcement for player tryout...
"No experience necessary..there is no requirement that you have played rugby before"

So it has come to this lowest level of ridiculous -- that they are looking to even give college women's rugby scholarships to women who have never played and in some cases, never even heard of rugby before...
That's how desperate they are to give out cheap scholarships so to balance the Title IX demands...

Note this quote about an EIU player...
"The Daily Eastern News RUGBY: ...Eastern Illinois University, where Becky Carlson played and worked as an assistant coach.
...Carlson will be the first one to admit she had no experience playing rugby before starring for EIU's rugby team."

True life is funnier and stranger than fiction....

[BradleyJD]

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance..."

That is Title IX. The problem isn't in the law. If problems exist or arise, it is due to the interpretation of the law.

The law was not originally used for sports.

[bigdaddystuck]

I don't like to hear about any program being cut. However, I realize the times we live in and understand that cuts do have to be made.

Not knowing the particulars to this case...I would guess that the men's programs cut don't bring in much money if any and are a drain on the system. My guess is at most schools that womens programs are not seen as money makers and very little is poured into them when compared with mens programs.

[jrish12]

The article I initially read wasnt very clear, so I found another one. Mens golf was the only sport cut, the rest of the teams listed received full cuts of athletic scholarship funds. Which, essentially could lead to those programs going by the wayside.

[Lurking Dog]

Speaking of D-II, Nebraska-Omaha announced they are moving to D-I (Summit League). They are also dropping football and wrestling...both excellent programs.

Bradley should restart football and join the PFL. There's less Title IX impact with football when it's nonscholarship.

http://pflfan.proboards.com

[jrish12]

Speaking of D-II, Nebraska-Omaha announced they are moving to D-I (Summit League). They are also dropping football and wrestling...both excellent programs.

Bradley should restart football and join the PFL. There's less Title IX impact with football when it's nonscholarship.

http://pflfan.proboards.com

UNO was in the MIAA for about 2 years before making this decision. Being a Truman alumni(same conference), it is going to be interesting how sports schedules will work out in the near future. I still dont think this makes sense that they are building their athletic program around their hockey team. Their football team was a perennial D II national top 25 team and Wrestling was always in the national title scene. Pretty tough to go to the wrestling coach, who just won a D II national title and say your program has been cut...

Title IX has to reflect the entire student body population as well, not just what sports they offer. Even if it was non-scholarship football, there is too much money to start a program when you consider getting players, equipment, insurance, coaches, facilities, etc. The scholarship situation at Bradley would remain the same since the student body is more female now if Im not mistaken. It would take years and I think I have a better shot at winning the lotto than BU starting a football program.

[Lurking Dog]

It all depends on priorities. Mercer, a similarly sized school (but with a 68 percent female enrollment), is starting a nonscholarship football team. Costs are much less than the tuition revenue 100 football players would bring in.

Mercer's board chairman commented...

"This kind of college football will enhance our academic reputation by aligning us with other outstanding universities that compete in Division I non-scholarship football and by making Mercer even more competitive in attracting the most sought-after students. By attracting and retaining outstanding students, by aligning the university with other leading colleges and universities, and by raising the visibility of the university through the exposure that a football program brings, the sport will play a role in achieving Mercer??™s aspiration of being more widely recognized among the ranks of America??™s finest private institutions."

[Lurking Dog]

And Stetson just announced they are restarting football, with the intent of joining the PFL.

https://www.stetson.edu/secure/apps/wordpress/?p=16574