The institutional impact of Title IX on intercolligiate athletic programs

This study investigated the impact of Title IX on intercollegiate athletic programs. Four active athletic administrators who were responsible for compliance of women's programs from Division-1 institutions were chosen at random for participation in this study. A qualitative interviewing technique was used in order to collect the information. The participants were interviewed in two, one hour, sessions over the course of the study. After the data was collected, analyzed, and evaluated, the following conclusions were reached. All participants defined gender equity and the goals for gender equity. All of the institutions but one had been in contact with the Office for Civil Rights. This had either been by invitation visit or actual review by the agency. All institutions had compliance problems that needed to be corrected. Most institutions were deficient in providing for their female athletes. Compliance solutions were composed of adding women's programs, adding money to travel and recruiting budgets, and scholarships. The addition of women's programs and money into these budgets effected other areas. First, men's programs were either eliminated completely or had money taken form their budgets. Second, the addition of women's programs created more opportunities for coaching positions in the new and existing women's programs. Title IX and gender equity had in some manner affected every institution which participated in this study. Institutions would have to continue to add more women's programs and more money into women's budgets until proven that the women were given the same opportunities and resources as the men. The men's programs would continue to have their athletic teams dropped or downgraded until the number of female athletes resembled the overall undergraduate female student body population.