The annual NCAA meeting concluded this weekend after a great deal of business was conducted--or at least it seemed that way from press coverage; I wasn't there. I just wanted to quickly mention two decisions.
The first is in regards to sand volleyball. Despite objections from many universities over the presence of sand volleyball on the list of emerging sports, the vote to remove it did not receive the necessary two-thirds majority.
And second, Division II is continuing its "Life in the Balance" initiative by cutting back the number of games for certain sports, starting practices later, and instituting a moratorium on games, practices, and any on-campus training for winter sports during the week between December 20-26. The initiative is, in part, a response to the fact that 30 percent of DII athletes leave without graduating.
Showing posts with label Division II. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Division II. Show all posts
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Mesa College and Other Division II School Are Adding Sports
To our surprise we keep reading about schools that are expanding their athletic programs, even in this tight economic times and even as other schools (UVM, UNI, and maybe Hawaii?) are downsizing their athletic offerings. At Mesa State College in Colorado, new men's golf and men's swimming and diving teams will begin competition this fall, and a women's lacrosse team will have its first season in the spring of 2011.
It is great to see schools adding men's sports like golf and swimming, which often get squeezed out in favor of large football rosters (which Mesa State has as well). But I hope Mesa State isn't setting itself up for cuts down the road. It currently offers only 43% of its athletic opportunities to female students, notwithstanding a 56% female student body, and this disparity does not change significantly with the new offerings. That means Mesa State must comply with either prongs two or prong three, either one of which could require it to add a women's team in the future, especially if there is significant interest. Hopefully Mesa State has the money to do this without cutting teams. Otherwise, we all know that the rhetoric will be "Title IX made us do it" and no one will blame or question the decision to add teams to the side already getting disproportionately more opportunities in the first place.
The article also notes that other Division II schools in their region have recently or are currently adding sports. Adams State is adding men’s golf, men’s soccer and women’s swimming and diving next year and men' and women's lacrosse men’s swimming and diving in the fall of 2010. Metropolitan State is adding men’s golf in the 2009-10 season and Fort Lewis College's women's lacrosse will have its first season this spring. Like Mesa State, none of these schools can claim compliance with the proportionality prong.
It is great to see schools adding men's sports like golf and swimming, which often get squeezed out in favor of large football rosters (which Mesa State has as well). But I hope Mesa State isn't setting itself up for cuts down the road. It currently offers only 43% of its athletic opportunities to female students, notwithstanding a 56% female student body, and this disparity does not change significantly with the new offerings. That means Mesa State must comply with either prongs two or prong three, either one of which could require it to add a women's team in the future, especially if there is significant interest. Hopefully Mesa State has the money to do this without cutting teams. Otherwise, we all know that the rhetoric will be "Title IX made us do it" and no one will blame or question the decision to add teams to the side already getting disproportionately more opportunities in the first place.
The article also notes that other Division II schools in their region have recently or are currently adding sports. Adams State is adding men’s golf, men’s soccer and women’s swimming and diving next year and men' and women's lacrosse men’s swimming and diving in the fall of 2010. Metropolitan State is adding men’s golf in the 2009-10 season and Fort Lewis College's women's lacrosse will have its first season this spring. Like Mesa State, none of these schools can claim compliance with the proportionality prong.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Kutztown adds lacrosse and bowling
We talk a lot about Title IX compliance at Division I schools because of big athletic department budgets and successful teams and lots of scholarship dollars, but the issue of compliance certainly exists at Division II and III schools as well.
Kutztown University in Pennsylvania has just committed to adding women's lacrosse and bowling. Several years ago they added women's golf. Kutztown is citing compliance with prong 2, a history of expansion of their women's program but also notes that they need to bring their athletic department numbers more in line with their undergraduate population. Women comprise just under 60 percent of the undergraduate population but in 2005-06 had only 43.4 percent of the athletic opportunities. The new teams will add 40 opportunities for women athletes.
With the two added teams, Kutztown will be carrying 23 intercollegiate sports: 13 for women, 10 for men. Division II has championships in 25 sports. This is a fairly high number of teams for a DII school. According to this fact sheet, the average number of DII men's teams is 6.5 and women's is 7.2.
I commend Kutztown for continuing to seek compliance but I wonder how sustainable 23 teams are. Too many teams was JMU's problem as well. Granted the situation is different between DI and DII schools but adding teams to meet compliance standards only to cut them later because of financial issues can lead to even more Title IX backlash as we have seen with the JMU case.
Here's hoping Kutztown is able to provide good opportunities for all its athletes now and in the future.
Kutztown University in Pennsylvania has just committed to adding women's lacrosse and bowling. Several years ago they added women's golf. Kutztown is citing compliance with prong 2, a history of expansion of their women's program but also notes that they need to bring their athletic department numbers more in line with their undergraduate population. Women comprise just under 60 percent of the undergraduate population but in 2005-06 had only 43.4 percent of the athletic opportunities. The new teams will add 40 opportunities for women athletes.
With the two added teams, Kutztown will be carrying 23 intercollegiate sports: 13 for women, 10 for men. Division II has championships in 25 sports. This is a fairly high number of teams for a DII school. According to this fact sheet, the average number of DII men's teams is 6.5 and women's is 7.2.
I commend Kutztown for continuing to seek compliance but I wonder how sustainable 23 teams are. Too many teams was JMU's problem as well. Granted the situation is different between DI and DII schools but adding teams to meet compliance standards only to cut them later because of financial issues can lead to even more Title IX backlash as we have seen with the JMU case.
Here's hoping Kutztown is able to provide good opportunities for all its athletes now and in the future.
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