The Guilford College Athletics Department is in the process of completing a Title IX self-study that will evaluate gender equity, among other criteria that Title IX sets forth. Tom Palombo, head men’s basketball coach and athletic director, told The Guilfordian that he expects the report to be completed by the close of the spring 2012 semester.
The 1972 Title IX Educational Act prohibits gender discrimination in colleges and universities. A 1974 amendment extended the law to include discrimination in athletic programs.
Sports Information Director and Assistant Director of Athletics David Walters told The Guilfordian that the self-study will address how compliant the athletics department is in operating under Title IX.
“The self-study should address both gender equity and Title IX,” said Walters. “I find it hard to believe that colleges and universities would blatantly show favoritism based on gender, but it happens.”
The National College Athletics Association requires division-three schools — like Guilford — to conduct self-studies every five years in order to remain NCAA-certified.
Robert Malekoff, assistant professor of sports studies and department chair, will be compiling the self-study. Malekoff told The Guilfordian that gender inequity is defined by how individual athletes are received by their peers.
“For an athlete, gender equity means no disparity in how they are seen by others,” said Malekoff.
For an institution to have complete gender equity, players should be able to reverse roles in terms of medical, facilities and support, and not experience a disparity.
“Are we close enough to master gender equity? That’s not for me to decide,” said Malekoff.
In order for institutions such as Guilford to remain Title IX compliant, two of three criteria must be achieved. Schools must provide opportunities for men and women in numbers proportionate to its enrollment, schools must show a history of program expansion that is responsive to women and existing programs must be in line with the interests of the student body.
The most challenging issue, according to Malekoff, concerns finding quantitative and qualitative data on perceptions of gender inequity in Guilford’s sports.
“It is not possible to know if everyone will perceive their teams as being equitable,” said Malekoff. “Some things are not a matter of gender and are occasionally understood wrongly.”
However, some student athletes have cited inequity concerns they perceive have been overlooked by Guilford’s Athletics Department.
A female basketball player, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Guilfordian that the more a team wins, the more gifts they receive, which hasn’t been happening.
“We’ve been very successful this season and yet we haven’t been provided the extras that the men’s basketball team have,” she said.
Some women’s players also say they have to share locker room space where the men’s teams have a dedicated space for each sport.
Walters told The Guilfordian that gifts and locker room space is not motivated by gender, but rather space and donations.
“When the sports facility was built, there were only seven teams and we are doing the best we can with limited space,” said Walters. “We can’t tell people where to donate their money, especially if the donations are earmarked — and in instances like waiting to play music for a particular team, we ask ourselves if the practice is commonplace or situational.”
Football player Kyle Ennis, a junior criminal justice major, said that teams are treated fairly where practice times are concerned, though some teams are provided frills while other teams receive nothing.
“The men’s basketball team gets an advantage when it comes to equipment,” said Ennis. “They have towels with their names on them, personal shower shoes, and free shirts and shorts as well as book bags.”
Lacrosse player E’leyna Garcia, a sophomore psychology major, told The Guilfordian that there was no differing treatment.
“Male teams are treated the same with practice time and facilities,” said Garcia. “We alternate practice times and both practice in the same facility. As far as gear, I think it depends on the team.”
Walters said that at times inequity is a matter of perception. However, he thinks having a self-study is good for the college.
“I don’t know if there is gender inequity or Title IX violations happening at Guilford College,” said Walters. “The study will iron that out.”
Palombo told The Guilfordian that though his office receives few complaints about Title IX violations and gender inequity, his office will strive to correct issues that occur.
“We feel like we are doing the best we can,” said Palombo. “If the study shows there are areas that need improvement, we will certainly take the appropriate actions to make ourselves better.”
