IX

The New York Times has an article up today accusing many major colleges of deception in reporting numbers of female athletes. A few thoughts:

1. The article reports the "three-pronged test" of Title IX this way:

Universities must demonstrate compliance with Title IX in at least one of three ways: by showing that the number of female athletes is in proportion to overall female enrollment, by demonstrating a history of expanding opportunities for women, or by proving that they are meeting the athletic interests and abilities of their female students.

Problem is, from what I've seen before, in practice the first way is the only way to actually satisfy the requirements of Title IX as decided by the Office of Civil Rights (Think they're ideological at all?). The third would work great if it was actually allowed.

2. Women make up 57% of the college population. You think that puts a strain on a school trying to stay proportional in sports programs?

3. The article takes a shot at football, noting that programs "rarely face cuts." With very few exceptions, to the extent athletic departments are making money, they're making it on football. (I'm sure there's a few men's basketball programs that make money, and maybe the women's at UConn at Tennessee.) Does anyone really think messing with football is going to end up as a plus for female athletes?