SAVANNAH, Georgia -- The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) tackled athletics participation opportunities for women during its July 11-13 meeting, including the recent U.S. Department of Education clarification of Title IX and the use of undergraduate male students in practice with women's teams.

The latter issue sparked a discussion of the dichotomy between philosophical and competitive issues, after which the CWA sided with its philosophy. Members agreed that the use of male undergraduate students in such situations simply conflicts with the committee's mission and violates the spirit of gender equity and Title IX.

The CWA seeks input from other entities, including the Divisions I, II and III Management Councils; the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports; the Divisions I, II and III Student-Athlete Advisory Committees; the National Association for Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators; and the appropriate sport committees and coaches associations.

The CWA's discussion of using male undergraduate students during practices for women's teams focused primarily on Division I. Some CWA members felt that the use of male practice players takes away practice opportunities for women. Others recognized that some teams use male practice players believing they provide female student-athletes with the opportunity to improve their skills and preparedness for games against opponents that might be bigger physically. Some programs use the players to fill out rosters that might be depleted due to injuries, and some use the male students to challenge their female student-athletes.

The CWA suggested that many athletics departments were unaware of the rules regarding the practice, including that male practice players must not receive financial assistance from the institution for either their position as a practice player or any other aid such as that distributed to team managers. Also, all male practice players must be eligible under NCAA rules and, if practicing regularly, must be certified.

While primarily regarded as an issue in Division I women's basketball, the committee said other women's sports have also been known to use male practice players, including volleyball, softball, rowing, soccer and ice hockey. Women's basketball coaches have voiced their support of the practice.

In addition, the committee discussed other issues surrounding the use of male undergraduate students in women's team practices, including the safety of both the female student-athletes and the male practice players.

Title IX clarification

CWA members also heard a presentation from attorney Janet Judge on Title IX issues, including the recent clarification issued by the Department of Education.

Judge, an attorney with the law firm Verrill Dana, LLP, and a former student-athlete and athletics administrator, also spoke about changes on the U.S. Supreme Court and how they could affect future interpretations of the anti-discrimination legislation. In her presentation, Judge highlighted portions of the survey distributed by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, calling close attention to certain aspects that seemed to discourage female students from completing the questions. Judge said she believes an institution's general counsel will advise a CEO to use the survey to determine women's interests in athletics because it is now officially a "safe harbor" according to the Department of Education.

Judge also answered questions about the Equal Pay Act and compensation for coaches under new Fair Labor Standards Act regulations that were effective August 2004. She also spoke about the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor from the U.S. Supreme Court, and her impact on decisions and recent Title IX cases decided by the court.

Committee members also had the opportunity to meet with Charlotte Westerhaus, who will become the NCAA vice-president for diversity and inclusion August 1. Westerhaus took part in the three-day meeting, sharing her insight and goals for the future.

Westerhaus also participated in a lengthy discussion about the senior woman administrator (SWA) de-
signation in NCAA athletics departments. CWA Vice-Chair Janet Kittell, associate director of athletics at Syracuse University, informed members that the NCAA Executive Committee was interested in the SWA issue and heard a legal presentation regarding the failure of some institutions to recognize that the SWA is a designation, not a job title, and that advertising for an SWA position is illegal.

Val Cushman, athletics director at Randolph-Macon Woman's College, reminded the committee of research done in Divisions II and III that indicated that while athletics directors tended to believe their SWA representatives were empowered, the SWAs themselves did not feel the same way.

The committee also discussed revamping policies and procedures for emerging sports. Members will work on a draft of proposed changes, including adding a sunset clause for sports that show no growth in a specific period, for discussion at the group's next meeting.

The Woman of the Year nomination process also was discussed, specifically moving away from the state-winner formula and to a process that would honor a Woman of the Year from each conference. The proposal, which would result in roughly the same number of finalists as the current method, was endorsed in concept for the Woman of the Year event in 2006.

Committee members also discussed the International Olympic Committee policy on transgender competitors, which states that two years after reassignment surgery, an individual may compete as the reassigned gender. The issue of transgender student-athletes has become more prevalent in recent years. The issue has stretched beyond the scope of the CWA, and representatives from other groups within the NCAA will take part in future information-gathering sessions.

NCAA Senior Vice-President Judy Sweet also spoke with the group about a variety of topics, including the 25th anniversary of several women's championships, beginning this fall with field hockey, and the creation of a summit on time challenges faced by women in the athletics administration and coaching fields.