University’s Title IX self-study could bring changes to athletics

The last time UNC conducted a Title IX self-study of the athletic department, Carmichael Arena was renovated for the women’s basketball team.

Now, faculty members and athletic department officials are conducting a new review, and it’s unclear what could come of it.

Beth Miller, senior associate athletic director for Olympic sports, presented to the faculty athletics committee Tuesday on UNC’s fourth Title IX self-study.

Title IX, intended to provide equal opportunities in both women’s and men’s sports, is part of a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education programs receiving federal money.

Miller said UNC conducts a self-study every five to six years.

She said the latest study, based on data from the 2005-06 academic year, found that the women’s basketball facilities were far inferior to the men’s, which was partially responsible for the renovation of Carmichael Arena.

Title IX requires that both genders receive equal benefits and opportunities, including the quality of competitive facilities.

Miller said UNC’s first self-study, conducted for the 1993-94 academic year, found that for away games, men stayed two to a room in the hotel while women stayed three or four to a room.

Now athletes in all sports teams stay two to a room, she said, because of the review.

Barbara Osborne, a member of the committee and a Title IX trainer, said she thinks the University is doing a good job complying with Title IX, and the self-study committee is unlikely to find any major disparities.

Osborne said a good way to tell if a school is doing well is to ask if each gender would still be happy if the provisions given to each gender were switched.

“I think that is how UNC operates,” Osborne said. “Its policies are not gender specific, they’re for athletes overall.”

Athletic director Bubba Cunningham also presented at the meeting. He said the NCAA is in the process of reviewing its rules for all student athletes.

He said the review might create more severe penalties for violating certain rules while removing other rules.

“Kind of like the Ten Commandments,” he said.

He said the review will also focus on getting rid of some “nit-picky” rules. For instance, previously athletes were not allowed to put cream cheese on a bagel and eat it before a game, he said.

Professor Lissa Broome said these changes could be significant if they ever come about.

“We need to reach an agreement on what causes a competitive advantage,” Broome said.

“It will be more concrete in the spring,” she added.

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