Central has long tradition of equal opportunity
This is the fourth installment of a six-part series about Title IX
CMU was on its way to create equal opportunities in sports before legislation enforced the idea with Title IX.
“We were working toward creating more opportunities for women in athletics way before the mandates,” said Marcy Weston, Senior Associate Athletic Director. “By the time Title IX was implemented in 1972, we didn't feel threatened because we were already well on our way to making great strides.”
Twenty-seven years before Title IX was adopted, CMU was competing in field hockey and basketball.
In the 1960’s, three more sports were added for women: golf, swimming and diving, and gymnastics.
“By the late ’60’s we were competing in four or five events per sport because that’s all people thought were necessary for women,” Weston said.
Pushing for equal opportunities in sports was Fran Koenig, Weston’s mentor at the time.
Weston said, Koenig had the right attitude and was the prime mover in creating equality in athletics at CMU.
“It helped that we had the support from the athletic director and the university president, therefore we did not hit many roadblocks,” Weston said. “We felt that Title IX was a good reminder just in case we would forget our mission.”
With the implement of Title IX, CMU was able to push for more competitions in women’s athletics.
Basketball increased its number of regular season games in 1974 from 17 to 27 and began competing in NCAA tournaments. CMU hosted the National Championships for gymnastics in 1977 and women’s basketball in 1980 because of Title IX.
Athletic Director Herb Deromedi said Title IX has continued to create more and more opportunities for women in athletics.
“It provides them (women) with an opportunity to compete in intercollegiate athletics, be able to expand their programs and have teams staffed with qualified coaches,” he said.
CMU now has eight women’s sports while there are seven men’s sports.
In the ’80s men's and women’s golf, tennis, swimming and men's gymnastics all were cut from the budget because of budget issues, not Title IX.
Title IX has created opportunities for women at CMU and across the nation, but at the same time many men’s sports are taking cutbacks.
“It has been very good for women’s athletics across the board, at CMU and nationally,” said men’s head track coach Jim Knapp. “However, a number of men’s sports have been eliminated or cut back severely. In track alone, the MAC only has six teams competing out of 13 schools.”
Knapp said, each year he is directed to cut his teams down to a smaller number.
He said he does not know whether Title IX has helped athletics at CMU.
“I expect that women’s athletic programs are better than they were a few years ago,” Knapp said. “However, Title IX has not helped my program. I feel that if it is continued to be interpreted and implemented the way it is today it will continue to devastate men’s athletics at CMU and nationally.”
Weston does not see cuts in men’s athletics taking place because of Title IX though.
“Title IX in it and of itself has not hurt men’s sports and does not have to,” Weston said. “It all relates to how administrators elect to distribute funds. Men’s Olympic sports are being cut because of budget problems. However, the legislation was never designed to disadvantage men’s sports.”
