PAGE
4: Hits, But No Homeruns
But even as numbers of women athletes have increased since
the 1970s, budgets have not always increased accordingly.
According to information published by Division I institutions
under the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act of 1994, 42
percent of college athletes in 1998-99 were women. Despite
this, only 34 percent of coaching budgets, 31 percent of
recruitment budgets, and 33 percent of total operating expenses
went to women.
"Spending on all women’s teams in all three of those areas
still lags behind men’s teams," observes a 2000 Chronicle
of Higher Education study. The Chronicle study shows universities
spend nearly double on the salaries of men’s team coaches
as on women’s team coaches. Average recruiting budgets for
male athletes (over $175,000) were far higher than those
for female athletes (under $80,000).
"It's
reverse discrimination. I
am much more confident that my daughter would be able
to get a scholarship than my son if they were of equal
talent."
|
Title IX’s regulation of athletic scholarships has had
interesting effects – though research shows most schools
still don’t meet compliance. Athletic scholarships to women
are supposed to be issued in the same proportion as the
number of women who participate on varsity teams. If 30
percent of women participate in varsity athletics, no less
than 29 percent and no more than 31 percent of women should
receive athletic scholarships. But the Chronicle study shows
that only 36 of 311 Division I schools were in compliance.
Another 175 schools exceeded the requirement, dishing out
more scholarship money to women than the law allows.
According to calculations from the 1998-99 school year,
female participants in NCAA teams received more money than
male participants. Divisions I-AA, I-AAA, and II all awarded
more, per participant, to females than to males. Based on
data from 532 of the 596 members of NCAA Divisions I and
II (Division III does not award athletic scholarships),
on average female athletes each received $4,418, while male
athletes received $4,269.
"It’s reverse discrimination," said LeSher, whose Iowans
Against Quotas supports Title IX but strongly opposes its
proportionality prong of compliance with the federal regulations.
"I am much more confident that my daughter would be able
to get a scholarship than my son if they were of equal talent."
NEXT:
MEN CALL TIME-OUT >>
|
