REPORT OF THE

NCAA COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S ATHLETICS (CWA)

1. ACTION ITEMS.

a. Educational Initiatives on Homophobia.

(1) Recommendation. That educational presentations be conducted regarding homophobia and creating a safe environment for student-athletes at the following meetings:

(a) All three divisional Management Councils.

(b) 2002 NCAA Convention (Association-wide session).

(c) Annual NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference for student-athletes.

(d) The joint meeting of the three divisional student-athlete advisory committees (July 2002).

(e) 2002 Title IX seminar.

Additionally, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) requests that the diversity training modules on sexual orientation being developed for use in CHAMPS/ Lifeskills and the diversity training program be presented to the CWA during its October meeting for review and comment. The committee strongly encourages the NCAA staff to work closely with the curriculum developers to include real life campus scenarios and open discussion about homophobia and creating a safe environment for all student-athletes.

(2) Rationale. During its meeting, the committee heard a presentation on homophobia in intercollegiate athletics from Laurie Priest, director of athletics at Mount Holyoke College, and Andrew Holder, former student-athlete at Lewis and Clark College. The committee believes that all athletics administrators have a responsibility to provide student-athletes with a safe environment in which to develop academically and athletically. These educational initiatives will help educate students and intercollegiate athletics professionals on homophobia and its effects on students, coaches, administrators and other professionals associated with intercollegiate athletics. Finally, the fair and equitable treatment and respect of all students is a primary purpose of the Association.

(3) Budget Impact. Budget impact is minimal. Budget monies to develop the new diversity module on sexual orientation already have been allocated.

b. Additional Component to Athletics Certification and Self-Study Programs.

(1) Recommendation.

(a) Division I. That the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification include a component to the student-athlete welfare section of the athletics certification program on providing a safe environment for all students, including student-athletes with diverse sexual orientations.

(b) Divisions II and III. That the Divisions II and III institutional self-study guides include a component on providing a safe environment for all students, including student-athletes with diverse sexual orientations.

(2) Rationale. The committee recognizes that many student-athletes experience difficulties, discrimination and fail to thrive as persons as a result of homophobia. The committee recommends that each member institution examine issues regarding homophobia as it pertains to student-athlete welfare, given the current vehicle available for such self-examination.

(3) Budget Impact. None.

c. Developing Rules for Emerging Sports.

(1) Recommendation. Appoint an ad hoc committee to address rule development issues for each emerging sport, when determined necessary by the committee. Such an ad hoc committee would be staffed by NCAA championships and NCAA membership services and include membership and sports specialists (e.g., coaches, athletics administrators, national governing body staff members).

(2) Rationale. Emerging sports that have not reached the required participation level for NCAA championships do not have rules or sports committees. The lack of a formal committee has led to a somewhat inconsistent and scattered approach to developing rules (e.g., playing and practice seasons, minimum number of contests and participants) for some emerging sports. Particularly in sports like equestrian in which not many staff members or athletics administrators consider themselves experts in the specifics of the sport, this lack of a formal structure for implementing rules has proven difficult. It appeared that NCAA member institutions that sponsored equestrian were frustrated and felt poorly served by the slow and arduous process that ensued to create some structure and rules for the sport. Some argued that the Association was not supportive of the sport and that the process impeded the growth of the sport.

Historically, there has been reluctance to create formal sport committees for sports that have not achieved national championship sponsorship levels. This is understandable, given the number of emerging sports that may never achieve the required sponsorship level. The recommendation is intended to strike a balance that might solve the frustrations of the membership interested in a particular sport.

This action may encourage sport sponsorship of the sport by additional member institutions. It also would provide the necessary sport-related expertise to create rules. Such an ad hoc committee would have a limited life span. Once rules are forwarded to the NCAA structure for review and adoption, the committee’s tenure would end.

(3) Budget Impact. The expense of teleconferences during the period of time to develop sport rules and NCAA Bylaw 11-17 legislative recommendations.

2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.

a. Division III Proposal Regarding Senior Woman Administrator Appointment. The committee supported the concept proposed in the draft legislation that permits an institution with a female athletics director to appoint another female as the senior woman administrator.

b. Emerging Sport Criteria Amended. The committee amended the criteria currently used for reviewing potential emerging sports for women to include the requirement that all letters of support from institutional chief executive officers must be dated within one year of the request for emerging sport status.

c. Rugby Identified as an Emerging Sport. The committee approved rugby as an emerging sport for women subject to submission of a more recently dated letter from the University of Central Florida and Bucknell University. The committee had concerns that the letters submitted by these institutions were more than three years old. The committee wants to ensure that there are currently ten institutions with viable interests in rugby.

d. Olympic Sports Liaison Committee Proposal to Support Targeted Sports. The committee reviewed a request from the Olympic Sports Liaison Committee to provide additional sports sponsorship revenue distribution for targeted Olympic sports. The committee requested that Carolyn Campbell-McGovern, chair of the Olympic Sports Liaison Committee, present the committee with additional information during the its October meeting.

e. Comments regarding NCAA Senior Women Administrator Job Description. The committee reviewed the NCAA Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) draft job description. The committee recommends that the document be amended to include a marketing and promotions of women’s sports component that identifies her role in television contract discussions, the marketing and promotions of women’s sports and other executive level decisions on this subject. The committee also recommends that the NCAA SWA conduct select exit interviews of female staff members at her discretion and that this be included in her job description. Finally, the committee recommends the description reflect the need for the national office SWA to have a presence and be visible at major women’s events.

f. Review of National Office Gender Equity Plan Draft. The committee reviewed the planning document outlining the process for developing the national office’s gender equity plan. The committee commended the national office leadership for its support of this initiative. The committee suggests that the document focus on internal national office issues (phase 1) and incorporate external membership issues at a later point in time (phase 2). The committee noted that member institutions are generally required to have gender equity plans and that this represents an opportunity for the national office to mirror the efforts of the membership. Additionally, the committee recommends that the Executive Committee review and approve the final plan in addition to the NCAA president's leadership team. Finally, the committee requested that the following issues not already identified be included in the plan:

(1) A review of the grievance procedures for staff members.

(2) A review of employee benefits that affect women (e.g., childcare, domestic partner benefits).

(3) A review of the work environment for women, including opportunities for communication of sensitive or confidential concerns.

(4) A review of salaries and general hiring practices (including employment of interns and mentoring programs).

g. Benefits for National Office Employees. The committee recommends that the NCAA national office provide domestic partner benefits for staff members as part of the Association’s benefits package for employees. The NCAA national office should be a leader in helping to educate and promote a safe environment for all student-athletes and athletics professionals and in overcoming homophobia in intercollegiate athletics. Additionally, the committee believes that the significant decrease in the number of female head coaches and athletics administrators is, in part, due to the perceptions associated with homosexuality. The national office can provide significant leadership in this area by providing benefits that are consistent with its equal
opportunity/nondiscrimination statement for employees. Therefore, the committee requested that the chair send a letter to President Dempsey making this request.

h. Survey on Conference Championship Opportunities. The committee suggests that the Executive Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues direct the NCAA research staff to conduct a survey of conference championship opportunities for men and women and conference office staffing by gender and ethnicity. The committee suggests the research staff conduct this survey during the 2001-02 academic year and noted that it could be Web-based and incorporated into sports sponsorship and demographics survey.

i. Federal Legislation Regarding Olympic Sport Funding. The committee suggests the Association not support federal legislation proposed by Senator Wellstone (D-Minnesota) regarding funding for the revitalization of Olympic sports. The committee has concerns about the possible negative impact this legislation could have on an institution’s ability to comply with its gender equity plan. Additionally, this proposal could result in a few already well-funded athletics programs receiving additional federal monies and would not result in the sustained growth of collegiate Olympic sports, which appears to be goal of the legislation.

j. “Game Face” Book. The committee reviewed the recently published book “Game Face: What Does a Female Athlete Look Like?” by Jane Gottesman. The committee directed the chair to request that President Dempsey make discretionary funds available for the purchase of an imprinted version of the book. The imprint would recognize 20 years of women’s sports in the NCAA and 30 years of Title IX. The committee believes that the year 2002 represents a wonderful opportunity to celebrate these two important events and has recommended a number of budget initiatives to mark the occasion. However, the Association’s budget cycle would not permit the funding of this project in a timely manner. Additionally, the committee would like to give these special edition books to each honoree at the 2002 NCAA Woman of the Year Awards Dinner. The cost for this initiative would be approximately $35,000, which would purchase 2,500 books. The committee also believes that this book should be given out at the 2002 NCAA Convention as the annual memento.

k. NCAA Woman of the Year Dinner. The committee recommends that the book “Game Face” be given to all 2002 Woman of the Year participants in celebration of 20 years of women’s sports in the NCAA and 30 years of Title IX. The committee
also supports the staff recommendation to move the dinner to a Saturday night for the year 2002 and beyond, which has been encouraged by the student-athletes.

l. Ice Hockey Officiating. The committee requested that the staff clarify information received from the ice hockey officiating coordinator regarding money allocated for the honorarium and the commissioners' meeting. Additionally, the committee

directed the staff to update the budget information to reflect both men’s and women’s ice hockey officiating improvement expenses.

m. Blending of Strategic Plan, Mission Statement and Audit. The committee requested that its subcommittee on strategic planning work with the NCAA staff to create a master document that blends the committee’s mission statement and strategic plan with the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues five-year budget plan. This document will help the committee ensure that its mission and strategic plan are closely aligned with the budget request priorities.

n. Review Budget Initiatives. The committee reviewed the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues five-year budget plan and identified priorities for the 2002-2003 and the 2003-2004 years. These recommendations will be reviewed with the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee prior to forwarding to the Executive Committee subcommittee.

o. Follow-Up to Summit on Athletics Opportunities for Minority Women. In response to the strategic plan created during the 2001 Summit on Athletics Opportunities for Minority Women, the committee charged its gender equity subcommittee with developing follow-up actions by the September 14 deadline.

p. Championship Cup for Women’s Colleges. The committee discussed the inability of women’s colleges to participate in the Sears Directors' Cup competition administered by National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). The committee does not support NCAA involvement in establishing a similar award for women’s colleges. However, the committee did suggest that proponents of a championship cup for women’s colleges contact NACDA regarding the possibility of administering such a program.

q. Title IX Data Request. The committee requested statistical data on the positions held by participants at the 2000 and 2001 Title IX seminars. In addition, the committee requested copies of the evaluations from the 2001 NCAA Title IX Seminar for its October meeting.

r. Foundation Leadership Conference. The committee requested information regarding the selection process for the Foundation Leadership Conference.

s. Updated Speaking Agents Policy. The committee reviewed the NCAA’s recently updated policy regarding speaking agents.

t. Future Meeting Dates and Sites. The committee selected the following future meeting dates: July 15-17, 2002, and July 14-16, 2003.

Committee Chair: Cheryl L. Levick, Santa Clara University, West Coast Conference.

Staff Liaisons: Diane Dickman; Rosie Stallman; Wendy Walters