IWF Supports Athletes, Calls for Reform to Outdated Title IX

On September 29th, 2006, James Madison University --voted to cuts ten sports teams effective July 2007-- the largest Title IX cuts to date. The ten teams (men's wrestling, swimming, cross-country, indoor and outdoor track, archery, and gymnastics, and women's gymnastics, archery, and fencing) affect eleven coaches and 144 student-athletes.

Before the cuts, JMU fielded 15 women's sports and only 13 men's sports. A majority of JMU student-athletes (50.7 percent) were female. However, due to the proportionality prong of Title IX enforcement, JMU felt forced to take action to make 61% of their athletes being female to mirror female enrollment.

IWF continues to cover the JMU situation, hold Title IX events, and be the voice of reason to call for commonsensical, athlete-centered reform to Title IX, which will benefit both men and women on campus.

Follow updates to Title IX here.

BACKGROUND:

For a summary of the JMU cuts, check out this post from IWF's blog, Inkwell.

IWF COMMENTARY:

Allison Kasic says Title IX may be on the way out over at National Review Online. Read her article here.

Carrie Lukas says that one of the main victims of Title IX is fairness over at Townhall.com. Read her article here.

IWF EVENTS:

On Nov. 2, 2006, IWF co-sponsored a rally and press conference for Title IX reform with the College Sports Council.

Video of the event can be viewed here, courtesy of WHSV, an ABC affiliate in Harrisonburg , Virginia.

Allison Kasic's speech from the rally is available online here.

Pictures of the event are available online here.

PRESS COVERAGE:

11/9/06 US News & World Report: Title IX Reform Takes Center Court
11/7/06 The Daily Tar Heel: Students Object to Title IX
11/6/06 CampusReportOnline.net: Title IX Tightrope
11/3/06 The Washington Times: Group Protests Title IX
11/3/06 Phi Beta Cons on Natioanl Review Online: JMU Student-Athletes Speak Truth to Power
11/3/06 USA Today: James Madison's Cuts Make Title IX Target
11/3/06 SwimmingWorldMagazine.com: James Madison/Washington D.C. Protest Well Attended
11/3/06 The Washington Post: Title IX Protest at Education Department Highlights JMU's Athletic Cuts
11/3/06 Inside Higher Ed: Rally for Title IX Changes
11/3/06 The New York Times: COLLEGES; At James Madison, Title IX Is Satisfied, but the Students Are Not
11/3/06 The Chronicle
11/3/06 The Chronicle
11/2/06 USA Today, Sports Scope: Save Our Sports
11/2/06 The Washington Times: Students rip Title IX on Fairness
11/2/06 WHSV Channel 3 News: JMU DC Rally
11/2/06 Human Events: Athletes Charge Title IX Outdated, Fosters Inequality
11/2/06 Daily News Record: JMU Students Take Title IX Case To D.C.
11/1/06 USA Today: James Madison's Team Cuts Spark Title IX Protest
10/10/06 Sports Illustrated:Gender inequality, Title IX was necessary then, but now it's just unfair