>Starting a women's program at the same time would not solve the problem,
>as schools are working to increase the opportunities to women in
>comparision to the opporuntities for men.  Starting a women's program
>alone would help in terms of Title IX, but adding a men's program at the
>same time contributes to the problem.  The recent ruling against Brown
>has thrown more problems into the way most atheltic departments view
>Title IX compliance.  Add in the recent movement by the football coaches
>in Washington, DC to have football overlooked in the calculation of
>opportunities, and you see that Title IX is far from being clearly defined.
>
>We should only expect the growth of women's sports through the end of the
>decade.  Women's soccer in the Big T1e1n and women's water polo and golf
>in the Pac 10 are beginning to grow as the universities see the way to
>Title IX compliance as being more opportunities for women.  Cutting men's
>sports, while still being done, leads to a very uneasy feeling on campus.
>
>---
>Robb Dunn                                          |GO BEARS!
>The University of Michigan                         [log in to unmask]
>Division of Kinesiology/Department of Athletics    |W: 313-764-9429
>Sport Facilities Research Laboratory               |   313-764-4597 FAX
 
 
Starting both programs at the same time with the same number of players
would move the ratio toward 50/50, however, cuting men's sports or adding
women's sports go alot further toward narrowing the gap.  Admittedly to
properly correct the problem an larger amount of new female atheletes will
have to be supported to counter the existing larger amount of supported
male atheletes.  Cutting *any* programs is painful and results in a lot of
trouble.  When Wisconsin cut 5 sports (M&W Gymnastics and Fencing, and
Baseball) there was quite an uproar and a lot of bitterness and resentment,
not exactly the best in alumni relations.  They are adding Women's softball
next year and Women's Lacrosse or field hockey (I forget which) the
following year to even out at 10 sports each and about 55:45 participation
(football is a major unbalancing act, but I love it!)  The two new sports
will not have men's counterparts and with Women's Volleyball counter the
three men only sports of Hockey, Football, and reslin' (is this a real
sport?).  The thing with large programs is that they are usually driven by
football attendance (each of the six games at Camp Randall should gross
about $1.5 million in ticket sales.)
 
--eric
 
spring football game in *two* weeks!