NIU and Title IX
(from athletic board minutes for Feb. 10, 2021 ...) ... It appears NIU is looking at ways to comply with Title IX because female enrollment has increased ... (note, I cleaned up the typing but nothing else) ... Important points are indicated by >>>>
-------------------------------------------------
a.Title IX Overview & Prior Year Report on Title IX Compliance
D. Boughton included a PowerPoint presentation in the Teams folder and provided a quick overview on Title IX compliance from the Athletics’ perspective. Title IX in athletics requires members of both genders to have equal opportunities to participate in sports and receive the benefits of competitive athletics. She pointed out on the PowerPoint regarding sport program offerings, noting that the NCAA requires certain types of sport offerings based on the division. For the FBS division (NIU’s division), the requirement is a minimum of 16; NIU currently has 17. The NCAA also has rules and requirements for financial aid, which we are well within the requirements for at NIU. The chart shows a breakdown of the men and women’s sports and the maximum amount of grant-in-aid that can be offered per sport program. It is important to note that there are federal guidelines on how these should be distributed in addition to the limits that the NCAA has set.
The three ways to test for Title IX compliance include accommodation of interests and abilities, athletic financial aid, and other athletic benefits and opportunities. There are three tests to measure accommodation of interests and abilities:
Test 1 –Proportionality
Test 2 –Continued program expansion for under-represented sex
Test 3 –Fully and effectively accommodate the under-represented sex
>>>>For last 8 years, NIU has frequently met Test 1 as the male undergraduate population has typically been larger than female undergraduate population; however, in the past 2 years the female population has increased (fall 2019 51.2% / fall 2020 52.8%). This increase impacts the way we approach our compliance with Title IX.
>>>>To further expand on measures for Test 1, D. Boughton discussed who counts. She briefly commented on roster goals and the use of these to maintain compliance in the past, but indicated that with the current sport offerings this would be hard to continue to maintain under Test 1. Based on data from 2019-20 (the last census year), there were 231 males and 210 female participants in the NIU Athletics department sport programs, which is approximately 11 participants outside of compliance for test 1.
>>>>As they are not close enough to meet Test 1, the department is looking to try to meet Test 3. D. Boughton pointed out to address Test 3 three of fully and effectively accommodating the under-represented sex. At NIU, from a participation standpoint, women are the under-represented gender, so in order to meet this test, NIU would have to offer sport programs that accommodate the women who go to NIU or have been admitted to NIU.
>>>>D. Boughton noted that they are currently working with the OGC and Ethics and Compliance office to develop a survey to measure the interests and abilities of students enrolled and admitted to NIU. Pending potential findings from this survey, there may have to be changes/additions made to the current sport offerings, barring facility limitations (i.e. no acceptable accommodations/facilities for sports such as diving).
D. Boughton added that any changes would have to go to through the Board of Trustees for approval, and would also be under the purview of the Athletic Board.
D. Boughton continued with a quick overview on financial aid, which must be within 1% of unduplicated participation rates. In FY20, NIU Athletics awarded $6.6 million total ($3.9 to men and $2.7 to women). The unduplicated participation rate is 60/40, so NIU is doing well in this area. Finally, D. Boughton wrapped up discussion with the provision of equitable opportunities to both men and women participants in our sports programs.
|
