NCAA COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S ATHLETICS (CWA)
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.
Association-wide.
a. Office for Diversity and Inclusion. The committee welcomed Charlotte Westerhaus, vice-president for diversity and inclusion, who provided an overview of her external and internal responsibilities, including existing initiatives promoting gender and ethnic diversity in intercollegiate athletics.
b. Review of male practice players. After thorough consideration of the dichotomy between the philosophical and competitive issues regarding the use of male undergraduate students to participate in practice activities with women's teams, the sentiment of the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) is that the use of male undergraduate students in such situations is in conflict with the mission of this committee and violates the spirit of gender equity and Title IX.
The CWA seeks input from other entities which may include: Divisions I, II and III Management Councils, the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport, Divisions I, II and III Student-Athlete Advisory Committees, NACWAA, and the appropriate sport committees and associations. The committee requests that staff educate the membership about the rules and interpretations concerning the use of male undergraduate students participating in practice activities with women's teams, and others for which it is allowable to practice with any women's and men's teams.
c. Emerging sports update. The committee reviewed the current emerging sports list and concludes there is a need to legislate a "sunset clause" for those emerging sports failing to demonstrate a perceivable growth in sponsorship at member institutions. A subcommittee will develop recommended criteria for determining when emerging sports status should be retained or removed (NCAA Bylaw 20.02.5.2).
d. Homophobia survey. The committee endorses the recommendation of the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS) to survey the membership on homophobia in athletics to identify perceived frequency of discrimination, department non-discrimination and harassment policies, and institution-based education and support resources for athletics staff and student-athletes, effective August 2006.
e. Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) update. The committee applauds the formulation of a working committee to generate a more precise distinction of the SWA designation. Further, the committee reaffirmed the need for continued membership education clarifying the purpose and the function of the SWA designation. The committee also anticipates the results of the SWA survey being conducted in Division I.
f. Transgender issues. The committee received an update from the working group addressing transgender student-athletes. The working group continues to gather and analyze information concerning the legal, medical and eligibility facets of the matter prior to making any formal recommendations to the committee concerning legislative guidelines.
g. Awards for combined championships. The committee supports the recommendation of the NCAA Men's and Women's Fencing Committee to provide separate awards for women's and men's fencing teams competing in the combined championships. The addition of awards for the top women's programs broadens the opportunity for national championship recognition for female student-athletes, especially at women's institutions and for teams that may only sponsor a women's program.
h. NCAA Woman of the Year. The committee voted to adopt a proposal altering the nomination and selection processes of the annual Woman of the Year award. Planned for implementation in 2006, the NCAA will recognize conference winners in each division, thereby replacing the current state winner awards. The new process will be reviewed in greater detail at the committee's October meeting.
i. Women Coaches Academy. The committee received an update about the continued success of the Women Coaches Academy in the professional development of and retention of women coaches.
j. Life-Work Balance Summit. In response to ongoing expressions about the challenges confronting athletics personnel attempting to balance professional and personal commitments, staff has organized a working group of various constituents to determine the parameters of a forthcoming summit intended to address the cultural matter. The committee requested staff remain inclusive of multiple perspectives, both non-traditional and traditional, in the formulation of the summit content.
k. 25th anniversary of women's championships. The committee received an update about the celebration plans for the 25th anniversary of women's championships, scheduled to begin fall 2005 and continue in conjunction with the NCAA centennial celebration.
l. Title IX. The committee received an update from Janet Judge, Verrill & Dana LLP attorney, about the recent Title IX clarification issued by the Office for Civil Rights, as well as the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII-related employment issues and the subsequent effects on intercollegiate athletics. Ms. Judge has previously addressed these such issues at the Gender Equity and Issues Forum and the Regional Rules Compliance Seminar educational sessions.
m. Cheerleading. The committee supports the CSMAS efforts to monitor and address the rate of catastrophic injury insurance claims in cheerleading activities.
n. National office staff demographics. Staff provided an update about the current gender and ethnicity demographics of the national office staff. The committee requested more specific information about transitions at the managing director level and above. The committee also requested a that ethnic minority figures also be separated by gender.
Committee Chair: Darlene Bailey, Southwest Missouri State University.
Staff Liaisons: Rosie Stallman, education services, and Matthew Stach, education services.