North Central College Title IX Presentation - Teaching Title IX in Nine Words

Opportunity
Opportunity. What does opportunity mean to Title IX? I put together a couple thoughts that come to mind when I think of Title IX.
O—Outrageous. It is outrageous to think what America would be like without the enforcement of Title IX.
P—Provide. Title IX has provided a great number of opportunities for women that have the goal to succeed in the classroom and on the playing field.
P—Pride. Women all around took pride in the opportunities given to show that they can excel in all aspects of life.
O—Open-minded. People are more open-minded now to the thoughts of women participating in sports.
R—Reputation. Title IX sometimes gets a bad rap from people that do not understand Title IX.
T—Triumph. Women now feel great about given the opportunities to show others how much they really can do on and off the field.
U—United. We are all united now. Women and men taking pride in Title IX.
N—Necessary. Title IX was very much necessary in the movement of equal rights for men and women at the college level.
I—Interest. It was in the best interest to all to make Title IX happen.
T—Team. We are all 1 team here at North Central; 22 sports but Title IX has allowed us to become 1 team.
Y—Yes. Say yes to Title IX and embrace it!

Equity
Equity. What does equity mean to Title IX? When Title IX was passed in the 70’s, it was not established to create equity among athletics, but instead, education. During a 3 year period in the 1960’s, the state of Virginia denied nearly 21,000 female applicants to higher education institutes. In the same three years, zero men were denied these positions. Today, in 2009, however, there are still 60 million girls worldwide who do not attend school. This is what equity means to Title IX: making sure that our sisters and daughters receive the education and opportunities they deserve.

Participation
What would Title IX look like without participation?
What would life look like without Title IX? What would North Central be like? Participation as we think of it today would be much different. As a school, we would not have the women’s basketball National Title from 1983. There would be 8 less individual championship titles. There would be far less participation as a whole in men and women’s athletics as well as other federally funded educational programs. Many of the things you come in contact with everyday would be much different. What would your life be like without Title IX? Think back to experiences you have had in education and athletics and how they would be different without the participation that Title IX allows. All of you, at some point in time, have experienced the positive effect Title IX has had on participation either directly or through someone else. Think of people you have come in contact with, people that have inspired and changed you for the better because they were allowed equal opportunity and participation. Teachers, friends, sisters, mothers and coaches – how have these women affected your life? Imagine how different your life would be if you were not given the opportunity to participate, imagine if you were not allowed to be a part of a team? How would your hopes, dreams, values and identity change? Before Title IX, participation as we know it today was non-existent. Athletics teaches us life lessons and skills that shape who we are. As athletes we learn the true meaning of discipline, strength, and courage. Through participation we build character, a character that will define us for the rest of our lives. Now I will ask you again, what would your life look like without all of this? Without the participation that has been granted to us as a result of Title IX. Participation would not have the same value to us if it were not for Title IX; and it is important that as we continue to grow we appreciate the affect the past has had on our lives and continue to learn from it.

Fairness
What does fairness mean to Title IX? Fairness means equality for both sexes and no discrimination. It also means there shouldn’t be all men’s sports teams at a co-ed school. All people are created equal and we don’t discriminate on the basis of color, race or religion, so why should we on the basis of sex?
As defined by the dictionary, fairness is marked by impartiality and honesty; free from self-interest, prejudice or favoritism.
As stated earlier, the admission to over 21,000 female applicants were denied to higher education institutions. Over the same 3 years, ZERO men were denied admission and that was legal then. This has prompted the journey to fairness between the sexes.
Title IX is part of the Education Amendments of 1972 to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It states: “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.
Today Title IX brings fairness by having everyone conform to a set of established rules.

Access
What does access mean to Title IX? In terms of athletics alone, access gives female athletes what male athletes have had all along. Benefits such as travel, uniforms, and other expenses would not exist for women’s sports if it were not for Title IX. In terms of scholarship alone, it is required that all NCAA institutions reserve 49-51% if all athletic scholarships to be distributed to female athletes.
Title IX has had an immense impact on female involvement levels in high school and collegiate athletics. Women have access to more sports because of Title IX. In 1972, 1 in every 27 women participated in a sport. That rate has climbed to 1 in every 2.5 women. With this drastic increase and the potential for greater levels of involvement among females, there could be a need to add 2 or 3 women’s sports for every one men’s sport.
Title IX grants females access to involvement in sports, access to college, access to a life that once thought impossible.

Education
What does education mean to Title IX?
In the public eyes, Title IX is most affected by high school and collegiate athletics, but the original statement made no reference to athletics.
In 1969, “Bunny” Sandler had been teaching part-time at the University of Maryland for several year. During that time, there were seven openings in the department. Sandler’s asked her fellow faculty member why she was not considered for any of the openings. He said that her qualifications were excellent, but let’s face it, she comes on too strong for a woman. This pushed for Sandler’s to file a report.
Following Sandler’s report, in 1972, Title IX was enacted, equality finally became a top priority. It wanted to achieve equal opportunity for men and women, to ensure institutions are in compliance with the law.
Now attention at University of Wisconsin at Madison has turned to the science and engineering department. Federal agencies have been searching for signs of gender discrimination in these areas at colleges around the country. Title IX should create opportunities in science for women, who are underrepresented. Women are a minority in engineering and the physical sciences. But this is a field that continues to grow every year for women.
To date, the U.S. Government has yet to find a science department that is not compliant with Title IX. Two cases are reviewed a year, out of thousands that send in complaints.
There have been many accomplishments that have taken place already in the 40 years since Title IX was established and as we get more educated, more advancements are to come on the courts, fields, and in the classrooms and jobs around the country.
Today women around the country, we are able to celebrate equal opportunity in the classroom, in activities and in athletics that were not allowed before 1972. We are here today to learn from the past, take action in the present, and to educate for the future generations.

Dreams
Dreams. What do dreams mean to Title IX? Title IX was built on dreams once unattainable due to discrimination. Women whose dreams of going to grad school were shattered due to their sex called for change, and fostered the development of Title IX. What was originally meant for equality in education eventually turned to include equality in athletics. Without the dreams of those women, who knows if anything like Title IX would have ever been written.
Really, the bigger question is what does Title IX mean to dreams? It means that dreams can be bigger than ever and yet still be completely fulfilled. It means that every woman has the opportunity to go to grad school without being rejected for being a female. It means that every girl can play any and every sport her heart desires. It means that every young girl can experience the roar of a crowd, and not just cheer from the sidelines.
Title IX means that every girl can pursue her dreams, whether they are to be a rocket scientist, a doctor, or a pro softball player. Every dream is attainable.

Respect
What does respect mean to Title IX?
Respect means that names like Mia Hamm, Pat Summit, Candace Parker, Misty May-Treanor, and Kerri Walsh are now household names and have become both possible and attainable to female athletes, coaches, and administrators.
Respect means that females are now not only just able to obtain positions and career capabilities to become the athletes, coaches and administrators of the future and that we are now willing and able to become the next big names in the sports industry, as well as attend colleges and universities to obtain higher education.
Respect means that professional athletics teams such as the Chicago Sky of the WNBA and the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch League to become the large, successful and flourishing franchises they have become and to also be loved, embraced, and cheered on by the city and leagues in which they are a part of.
Respect means that women are now free to take whatever classes and courses we so choose, no longer confined to “home ec” courses.
Respect means that as a woman, we can expect equal attention and a supportive learning environment in ALL subject matters. Girls are now encouraged to think and believe themselves in future careers, not just as mothers, nurses, secretaries or teachers, but also as scientists, doctors, lawyers and engineers.
Respect means that we have in front of us, many limitless possibilities that have become an option for many females and have made not just women’s athletics future brighter, but an overall more successful future for everyone.

Inclusion
What does inclusion mean to Title IX? Everyone has an equal chance to receive an education or participate in athletics at any level. If a young woman aspires to be a great swimmer, why should she not have the same freedom to do so that her football playing brother does? It was the dream of great women like Judy Sweet and Bunny Sandler to make this a possibility and we now have an equal contingency for women to do great things. Title IX, including women in our everyday successes.