Earlham strives for equity in athletics

Twenty-five years after the law known as Title IX was signed into action, our nation's schools face equity problems in the areas of budgeting, recruiting, and scholarship allotment. Since Earlham is in Division III athletics, athletic scholarships are taken out of the equation.

The number of women participating in college sports has increased fourfold since the landmark 1972 education act. It has been a long process however, and one that has seen vast improvement and the creation of new conferences all over America.

Fourteen years ago, an athletic conference was formed, in part, because a handful of schools saw the need to incorporate women's sports into championship athletics. Brian Sullivan, the Assistant Executive Director of the North Coast Athletic Conference, helped in the formation of the new conference, and cited the need for change.

"The old Ohio Athletic Conference did not sponsor a women's sports championship, and that was a driving force for a new conference," said Sullivan. "In fact, the entire National Collegiate Athletic Association did not have women's championships until 1982 for Division III, so the athletic landscape at the time, was filled with men's only conferences."

Five of the seven founding members of the NCAC were schools in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Today, women's athletics have come almost full circle. With the inception of softball into conference play this year, there are 22 varsity sports in the North Coast Athletic Conference; 11 women's sports, and 11 men's sports. Earlham has a total of 17 varsity sports, nine of which are in the women's program.

As was the case for many conferences, women's sports were unequal in terms of funding and recruiting. The NCAC is much different. There is no need to place guidelines on the schools. "One of the founding principles was equity, not for just men and women, but for all sports," Sullivan said.

Although not a charter member in the North Coast Athletic Conference, Earlham has worked hard to have an equitable sports program. There have been roadblocks on the path to success, but they are problems which are being corrected.

Earlham College Director of Athletics, Porter Miller, sees a weak spot in the women's program. "Our biggest problem is a lack of continuity of coaching. We have had three field hockey coaches in the past three years. When we get people (coaches) to come in here and stay, our teams have a much better chance to win."

The coaches at Earlham are also probably its greatest asset. "We have young, new female coaches who have been very energetic, and have just done a great job recruiting," said Miller.

At Earlham, budgets are pretty much on the par between like sports. Women's soccer for example, was behind that of the men's soccer program for many years, simply in part, because it was a new program. Fortunately, the athletic department has been aggressive in correcting this, and the women's budget jumped over that of the men's this year.

"In the items we can control, budgets are exactly equal. Each program gets the same amount of money for meal money (per player), travel and uniform expenses," said Miller. "We keep them the same from sport to sport. It is very hard to imagine the same progress taking place without Title IX."

Right now, Earlham has an 'Ace in the Hole,' which is certain to give all athletic programs at Earlham a boost. With the addition of a newly renovated $11 million Fieldhouse, Earlham athletics, as well as the entire community, will see an enormous jump in quality facilities.

Miller is very excited. "It will help big time! We are so far behind in facilities, it will help tremendously to recruit the quality athletes our programs need."

The change will not be overnight, however. "Hopefully, there will be just one more year of basketball in the old gym before we can begin play in the new performance gym."

Miller, when asked about his current feelings on women's athletics at Earlham, was enthusiastic. "We are really positive right now. We are excited about our coaches, facilities, and a conference that can only make us better."

-Rob Crockett

-Earlham Word