Gender Equity in Intercollegiate Athletics: Where Does Pennsylvania Stand?

Equity in Athletics

WLP Working with National Coalition to Level the Playing Field for Girls!

Working in coalition with national partners the Women's Law Project continues to push for gender equity in athletics.

Comprehensive Settlement of Title IX Lawsuit Against Slippery Rock University Approved by Court

Pittsburgh, PA -- On August 8, 2007, U.S. Chief District Judge Donetta Ambrose approved the class action settlement of the Title IX lawsuit filed against Slippery Rock University. The settlement is aimed at achieving gender equity in an athletic program that has short-changed female athletes for decades (go to Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Consent Order). See more information about the Slippery Rock case.

WLP Joins with Senator Connie Williams to Level the Playing Field for Girls and Boys in Middle and High School

As the nation celebrates the 35th anniversary of Title IX, a new poll reveals that nearly a quarter of Amerians know of a specific recent incident of gender discrimination in athletics.

On June 20th, the Women's Law Project joined State Senator Connie Williams at the state Capitol in Harrisborg as she unveiled legislation (SB985) to address reporting requirements at the middle and high school levels.

"While Pennsylvania's colleges and universities have to report on an annual basis their athletic participation data by gender, middle and high schools are not held to the same standard," said Carol Tracy, Executive Director of WLP. (See full press release.) Terry Fromson, Managing Attorney for WLP, was present at the press conference and issued a statement.

Women's Law Project Releases Report Detailing State of Gender Equity in Athletics in Pennsylvania Colleges and Universities

Press Conference Picture

Pictured (left to right): Lurline Jones, Athletic Director University City High School, David S. Cohen, staff attorney at WLP, and Carol E. Tracy, Executive Director of WLP.

"Women outnumber men on Pennsylvania's college campuses but schools continue to pour more resources into men's sports than women's sports," stated report author David S. Cohen, staff attorney at WLP.

Press Release

Executive Summary

Full Report

Statement by David S. Cohen

At a press conference held in Philadelphia on December 20th, the Women's Law Project released a detailed report looking into the state of gender equity in athletics in Pennsylvania's colleges and universities. Gender Equity in Intercollegiate Athletics: Where Does Pennsylvania Stand? is the first of its kind int he country and finds that, even with the advances of Title IX, Pennsylvania's institutions of higher education have a long road to travel before they can be said to be treating their female athletes fairly.

"Athletic participation provides female students with a wealth of educational, physical, and mental benefits," said Carol Tracy, Executive Director of the Women's Law Project. "By shortchanging their women's athletic programs, Pennsylvania's schools are shortchanging their female students in ways that affectthe entirety of their lives." For more information see the press release, executive summary, full report, and David Cohen's statement.

Kemether v. PIAA and Del Val 96 - CV-6986 (E.D. PA. filed Oct. 1996)

WLP represented Noreen Kemether, a basketball official who was denied access to boys’ varsity games in blatantly discriminatory terms, in litigation against the state athletic association and a Delaware County basketball league aimed at establishing equal opportunity for women on the basketball court. A pre-trial settlement with Del Val in July 1998 committed Del Val to assigning at least five boys’ and five girls’ varsity games to the plaintiff annually for seven years and instituting a gender neutral system of evaluating officials and assigning games. Following a December, 1998 jury verdict in plaintiff’s favor and appeal by PIAA, a full settlement with the PIAA was reached. Decisions reported at 15 F. Supp. 2d 740 (Aug. 6, 1998), 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17331 (Nov. 8, 1999); 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17326, (Nov. 8, 1999). When a female official contacted WLP in 2004 complaining that Del Val refused to assign her to boys’ varsity games, WLP filed an enforcement action, which has settled in 2005.

Title IX At Risk

On November 29, 2002, WLP submitted written testimony to the Commission on Opportunity In Athletics of The United States Secretary of Education urging the Commission to uphold existing standards for measuring athletic equity, encourage improved enforcement, and foster a community approach in which men, women and schools work together to achieve equitable opportunities for all. See Press Release

Title IX and Gender Equity in Education: The Unfinished Agenda, Conference U. of Pittsburgh (March 18-19, 2004)

The Title IX conference sponsored by the Women's Law Project began March 18 with a lively speech by Donna Lopiano, Executive Director of The Women's Sports Foundation. Dr. Lopiano spoke candidly about the inequalities that women and girls face in athletics. She dispelled the myth that Title IX is "ruining" men's sports, and showed how athletic participation for both men and women has risen since the enactment of Title IX. After the keynote, Dr. Lopiano took questions from students, parents, coaches, and other attendees (see summary).

Downingtown School District

In February, 1995, WLP assisted parents and student athletes in addressing inequities in the school district’s athletics program which disproportionately provided male athletes with 27% more athletic opportunities than it provided to female athletes in the junior high program. The school district responded by adding 7th and 8th grade girls’ soccer and softball, and adding girls’ volleyball at the high school.

Women's Law Project v. University of Pennsylvania

In 1994,on behalf of female athletes, female coaches, and coaches of female sports, WLP filed a complaint against the University of Pennsylvania with the U. S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights complaining of across the board gender discriminatory treatment in athletics. The complaint was settled, resulting in increased resources for women's sports at the university.