I am writing this letter to inform the campus community of the work of the Central Michigan University Title IX-Gender Equity Committee. In January of this year, University President George Ross formed a committee with the charge of assessing CMU’s ongoing compliance with Title IX, with the primary focus to provide equitable varsity athletic participation opportunities for both male and female students.

For the past few years, CMU has been working directly with the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate and assess the intercollegiate sport sponsorship and participation history of the university. The communication with the Department of Education was initiated after CMU was randomly selected for a “proactive review” in 2008. This is a standard operating procedure of the Department of Education and was not initiated as a result of any complaint.

In 2009, CMU was notified by the Department of Education that the university was providing the appropriate number of varsity athletic participation opportunities for both male and female student-athletes. The Department of Education reached this conclusion after CMU, working closely with the full approval of the Department of Education, conducted a campus-wide census survey of all undergraduate student athletic interests and abilities, which was attached to the on-line course registration process.

In 2010, President Barack Obama’s administration changed the Department of Education interpretation of Title IX. This interpretation change rendered the results of CMU’s 2009 census survey null and void. In late fall 2011, CMU was notified by the Department of Education that they had decided to apply the “new” interpretation retroactively to CMU’s survey results and that CMU would need to evaluate adding additional female varsity sports participation opportunities.

As a result of this action by the Department of Education, and in conjunction with CMU’s ongoing efforts and commitment to Title IX compliance, Ross charged the Title IX-Gender Equity Committee to conclude this evaluation before May 15, 2012.

As part of this assessment, the Committee has already analyzed on-campus club sport participation, Michigan High School sport participation history, sports sponsored by the Mid-American Conference and other conferences in the region, sports that have significant participation history in the region at all levels, CMU’s general recruitment region and other factors that are required for review for Title IX.

The next factor that needs to be assessed by the Committee is the general sport interest and ability of undergraduate students on CMU’s campus. The Committee has developed a survey that will be distributed to all undergraduate students (male and female) via email on March 29. We strongly encourage all undergraduate students to complete the survey and let the Committee know your thoughts and feelings about this issue.

Finally, anyone who is interested in learning more about Title IX and its importance to our campus community is invited to attend a seminar that the Committee will be hosting at 3 p.m. on April 5 in the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium. The Committee has invited Janet Judge, a nationally-renowned Title IX legal expert, to campus to conduct this seminar.

Thank you for your support in this endeavor.

Judy P. Chandler, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Physical Education & Sport