I'll second Robert Dunn's remarks about upgrading West Coast hockey:
 
>With Title IX, colleges and universities are currently debating how to
>handle the issue.  While some schools like Cal have commited themselves to
>keeping all current sports and raise more money, others like UCLA have
>decided to axe non-revenue sports to comply with Title IX.
 
I may have made some comments about Title IX a month or so ago on this
list.  There will be no expansion of varsity hockey for quite awhile, as
schools -- most especially Division I schools -- even more especially
Division I schools with football programs -- scramble to provide more
equitable sports opportunities for women.  There are simply too many
factors against hockey in this environment:  it requires a large squad size
(schools have to work towards proportionality in sports participation);
it's very expensive (a school could fund three women's sports with the
money needed to run a hockey team); and -- for many schools -- hockey is
not a "revenue" sport.
 
One would hope that the hockey conferences will recognize the dangers
looming, and work together to keep the sport healthy.  The CCHA's decision
to admit UAF as a full member was a good move, in this context.  This is no
time for short-sighted decision making.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Stephen E. Roth                        BITNET:            ROTH@CANISIUS
Dean of Student Services                 INTERNET:  [log in to unmask]
Canisius College                            PHONE:           (716) 888-2522
Buffalo, New York 14208                       FAX:           (716) 888-2525
---------------------------------------------------------------------------