Title IX turns 50 years old this month. The landmark legislation formally sought to reverse the impact of pervasive sex discrimination on American women.
When the Higher Education Amendments passed in , Title IX prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational institution or program receiving federal aid.
It simply shows the work that has been done in U. The college added football and golf for the academic year and track and cross country in Tennis, cross country, wrestling and golf are no longer offered. According to outgoing athletics director Steve Cassady, Blue Devil softball shut down when coach Sheryl Wiens retired in There was no team in , but it returned in when Cassady took over as coach. Jan Kehoe, the Merced College president at the time.
Title IX requires institutions to respond to community desires. So, still hearing a consistent clamor for soccer from annual student-interest surveys, the college brought back both teams in Also, it was difficult to find additional money to pay for startup costs like uniforms or facility additions or upgrades, and then also build a budget to fund annual operating expenses like salaries, travel and per diems. Current Merced High volleyball coach Patricia Flanagan-Khodikian says community colleges allow athletes to extend their careers and help them strengthen their chances of playing at a four-year school.
Ironically, Flanagan-Khodikian admits she knew nothing of Title IX until she was a college senior studying college sports management. That is not a knock on her. Now, as a coach, anytime my girls are on the fence about playing in college, I can tell them to just give it a chance.
