The Gender-Equity Q&A is intended to help athletics administrators understand institutional gender-equity and Title IX-related issues. Answers for the Q&A are provided by Christine Grant, associate professor at the University of Iowa, and Janet Judge, attorney with Verrill & Dana LLP.

Just before the start of the summer, in response to a number of inquiries from members, we promised a recap of the individual treatment areas covered by Title IX. If you recall, Title IX measures athletics compliance in three separate areas (participation, financial aid and treatment) with individual tests for each. When assessing compliance in this area, it is important to remember that although each area should be reviewed individually, it is the treatment of the men's and women's programs overall that is dispositive for compliance purposes.

Accordingly, a disparity in one area that favors one sex may be offset by a similar disparity in another area that favors the opposite sex. For the next several issues of the Gender-Equity Q&A, we will address ways to review each treatment (also known as "the laundry list"). Of course, each program will have its own unique characteristics and any review will have to be tailored to the circumstances of the program in question.

Q How do you measure equity in the provision and maintenance of equipment and supplies?

A The first of the treatment areas, equipment and supplies, includes but is not limited to uniforms, other apparel, sport-specific equipment and supplies, instructional devices, and conditioning and weight-training equipment. In assessing compliance, the following factors are reviewed: quality, amount, suitability, maintenance and replacement, and availability of equipment and supplies.

With respect to uniforms and apparel, the common issues that often arise involve the number of game uniforms provided to the respective teams, the types and amount of practice clothing (numbers of shirts, shorts, etc.), the types and amount of footwear, the availability and amount of travel warm-ups, the availability of laundry service and the related turnaround time, and the types and availability of travel bags and gear.

The maintenance and replacement schedules for game uniforms, practice clothing and footwear also are important issues that constantly are recurring. The more consistent and uniform an institution's policies and practices are in this regard, the better off it will be.

With respect to equipment, each team's access to both practice- and game-related equipment needs -- on both an individual and team basis -- is important. The quality, currency and replacement schedule of equipment should be monitored to ensure an equitable allocation. Although some teams may not require annual upgrades and replacements, care should be taken so that decisions are made on a logical and fair basis. The desire for the "best and the latest" are the desires of almost every team, but they must be tempered by the economic realities of the institution and guided by a fair decision-making process.

Clearly, there will be differences among athletics programs with regard to the amount spent on uniforms and equipment. Title IX does not require that schools provide identical uniforms or spend the same amount of money outfitting comparable teams. Rather, the test is whether teams are provided equitable uniforms. For example, a school most likely will spend a good deal more outfitting its men's lacrosse team than it will providing for the women's team. That's OK provided the quality and quantity of equipment and clothing is equitable.

Weight-training programs and the additional of strength-training coaches has expanded dramatically for men and women since the passage of Title IX. Although the provision of a weight-training coach will be covered elsewhere, the location and adequacy of weight-training facilities should be part of this review. For example, is one team given its own weight facility or the exclusive use of a facility during specific times when others are not? Do some teams have access to weight facilities around the clock when others must use them during specific times? Also, are the machines and weights provided useful for the variety of sport programs offered at the institution and the needs of the individual team members? Again, where it can be demonstrated that weight training is integral to one program and not to another, differences may be justified.

The adequacy, quality and location of storage space for equipment is another factor to consider. Again, this review must be program-specific. It is not enough to give each program the same amount of space when they each have different storage needs. A good review should take into account the amount of equipment to be stored and whether it is accessible. Its proximity to the practice and competition facilities often is of particular concern as well.

For additional gender-equity resources, including newly created video segments featuring Christine Grant and Janet Judge, visit www.ncaa.org/gender_equity.