The NCAA News - News and Features

May 25, 1998

More speakers, new sessions highlight Title IX Seminar

The 1998 NCAA Title IX Seminar, held May 12-13 at the Westin Hotel in Chicago, featured several new sessions and the event's largest-ever attendance.

"I think it was a very good conference," said Janet Justus, NCAA director of education outreach. "Each of the sessions was well attended, and people stayed through the end of the last session. I think we were hitting the right topics."

Nearly 300 individuals attended the seminar, which featured more than 40 speakers. The speakers included attorneys who have litigated Title IX cases, compliance officers, athletics directors, employees of the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), conference commissioners and nationally known speakers on gender equity. While the speakers are compensated for their expenses, none of them receive payment for speaking.

This was the seventh Title IX seminar presented by the Association, but it was the first year that the seminar was held just once, rather than twice, during the year. Justus said this change was prompted by a desire to concentrate resources and simplify the efforts of presenting the seminar.

Also, this was the second year for the seminar to be presented with a "menu format" that allowed attendees to select from concurrent sessions focusing on different aspects of gender equity.

While the basics of Title IX and current case law on the issue continued to draw large crowds, several new sessions were presented this year, and those proved to be popular as well.

Justus pointed out that the Title IX seminar had to change to offer more education to those who had attended previously while still offering sessions that present a general understanding of the issue.

"Things change every year," Justus said. "This seminar is not just about understanding the law. It's also about planning for gender equity, program development and solutions."

Much of the discussions in the sessions focused on what universities could do now and in the future to avoid Title IX lawsuits and continue to expand opportunities for women.

New sessions this year included: "Financial Aid: NCAA Limits and Title IX," presented by Elsa Kircher Cole, NCAA general counsel and Charlotte West, associate director of athletics at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale; "Counting Participants: Roster Management and Other Issues," presented by R. Elaine Dreidame, senior associate director of athletics at the University of Dayton; "Improving Existing Facilities," presented by Lynn Snyder, senior associate director of athletics at Temple University; "Sexual Harassment and Title IX," presented by Debbie Brake, senior counsel, National Women's Law Center and Janet Judge, attorney, Verrill & Dana law firm; and "NCAA Athletics Certification: Second Cycle," presented by Diane Dickman, NCAA coordinator of academic issues, and Andrea Seger, director of athletics, Ball State University.

Student-athletes were featured at the seminar for the first time this year. The new panel discussion, "The Student-Athlete Perspective on Title IX," was moderated by Robert E. Frederick, director of athletics at the University of Kansas. It featured Nigel Burton, a current football player at the University of Washington; Kerry McCoy, a former wrestler at Pennsylvania State University; Amy Cohen, one of the gymnasts who brought the class-action suit resulting in the landmark Cohen v. Brown University Title IX decision; and Julie Roe-Sumner, a former basketball player at Millikin University who is now an NCAA student-athlete reinstatement representative.

Yet another new panel addressed gender equity and compensation. The "Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) New Policy Guidance on Coaches' Compensation," was moderated by Vivian Fuller, director of intercollegiate athletics at Tennessee State University. The panelists were Ellen Vargyas, legal counsel, EEOC, and Robin Rosenberg, senior counsel, Holland & Knight law firm.

This also was the first year for some topics to be addressed by division, allowing speakers to address challenges and opportunities that are unique to the different membership divisions within the NCAA. Breakout sessions on "Coaches' Compensation and Availability," as well as on "Promotions, Marketing and Fund-Raising," were offered concurrently for Divisions I, II and III.

Presenters of the "Coaches' Compensation and Availability" session were: Chris Voelz, director of athletics (women), University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Barbara Schroeder, director of athletics, Regis University (Colorado); and Cynthia Pemberton, senior woman administrator, Linfield College.

Presenters of the "Promotions, Marketing and Fund-Raising" sessions were: Vince Sweeney, associate athletics director, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Robertha Abney, associate athletics director, Slippery Rock University; and Frank O'Brien, director of athletics, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

Another popular offering this year was the panel presentation, "Title IX: The 21st Century," which addressed the future of gender-equity issues. While this was not a new session, it continues to be among the most well attended. The moderator for this panel was Jean Lenti Ponsetto, senior associate director of athletics at DePaul University. Panelists were: Arthur Bryant, executive director, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice; Christine Grant, director of athletics (women), University of Iowa; Nancy Hogshead, attorney, Holland & Knight law firm; and Steve Erber, director of athletics, Muhlenberg College.

Several speakers at the seminar remarked that the atmosphere surrounding Title IX had changed, becoming more positive in recent years as more university representatives understood the necessity of offering equal opportunities for women and not just complying with the law.

"People understand that it's time to embrace what needs to be done and that there are solutions that can be implemented on their campuses," Justus said. "People are also beginning to understand that it's not a women's issue -- it's a civil rights issue about promoting equal opportunity."

Individuals who are interested in videotapes of the Title IX seminar should contact the NCAA education outreach staff at 913/339-1906. Videotapes will be compiled as soon as possible and offered for a minimal fee.

The next NCAA Title IX seminar will be conducted in the late spring of 1999.