10 years of good news The National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education Title IX Coalition Organizations American Alliance for Heath, Physical Education and Recreation American Association of Community & Junior American Association of University Professors American Association of University Women American Civil Liberties Union American Council on Education, Office of Municipal Employees American Psychological Association Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Coalition for Children and Youth Council of Chief State School Officers, Resource Center on Sex Equity The Federal Education Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Federation of Organizations for Professional Women Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Giris Clubs of America, Inc. Lulac National Education Service Centers League of Women Voters of the United States National Association for Girls and Women in Sport National Association for Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors National Association of Commissions for Women National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges National Association of Student Personnel Administrators National Coalition of Independent College and University Students National Commission on Working Women National Council of Administrative Women in Education National Council of Jewish Women National Council of Negro Women National Education Association National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. National Organization for Women National Student Educational Fund National Women’s Law Center National Women’s Political Caucus National Women’s Studies Association Project on Equal Education Rights Project on the Status and Education of Women Sociologists for Women in Society Southern Coalition for Educational Equity United States Student Association Women's Collage Coalition Women's Equity Action League Women's Legal Defense Fund Women's Work Force of Wider Opportunities for Women, Inc. NATIONAL COALITION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN EDUCATION The National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education was formed in 1975 by representatives of national organizations concerned about the Department of Health, Education and Welfare's failure to issue regulations implementing Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The group was successful in mobilizing strong support for the publication of the Title IX regulations and has continued to be a strong force in the development of national education policy. Approximately 50 national, non-governmental organizations work together through the Coalition on a broad range of issues affecting the rights and opportunities of women and girls in elementary, secondary, postsecondary and vocational education. Its participants include: * women's advocacy groups * traditional women's membership organizations * educational associations * civil rights groups * public policy groups, and * other national organizations concerned about education. The Coalition has been particularly active in promoting better enforcement of Title IX, opposing Congressional efforts to dilute Title IX's coverage and effectiveness, advocating the passage of new legislation to ensure women's rights to equal educational opportunity, monitoring agencies in the departments of Education, Labor and Justice responsible for civil rights enforcement, and supporting federal programs -- including the Women's Educational Equity Act and the Vocational Education Act -- which provide federal funds and incentives for eliminating sex discrimination, bias and stereotyping from educational programs. -2- The Coalition's work is carried out entirely at this time by volunteers from its participating organizations, including its elected officers and permanent and ad hoc task forces working in such areas as legislation, civil rights enforcement and program development and implementation. Current officers and task force chairs and the organizations they represent are: * Barbara Stein, Chair, National Education Association, 202 822-7715 * Carol Bros, Vice-Chair, National Women's Political Caucus, 202 347-4456. * Jean Miller, Secretary-Treasurer, National Women's Political Caucus, 202 254-5706. * Margy Kohn, Enforcement Task Force Chair, National Women's Law Center, Women's Rights Project, 202 872-0670 * Kathryn Lavriha, Legislative Task Force Chair, League of Women Voters, 202 296-1770. * Renee Sherman, Vocational Education Reauthorization Task Force Chair, League of Women Voters of the United States, 202 296-1770. * Nina Heagstedt, Public Information Task Force Chair, Women's College Coalition and Hager, Sharp & Abramson, Inc. 202 466-5430. 10 years of good news The National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education Title IX Coalition Organizations American Alliance for Heath, Physical Education and Recreation American Association of Community & Junior American Association of University Professors American Association of University Women American Civil Liberties Union American Council on Education, Office of Municipal Employees American Psychological Association Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Coalition for Children and Youth Council of Chief State School Officers, Resource Center on Sex Equity The Federal Education Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Federation of Organizations for Professional Women Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Giris Clubs of America, Inc. Lulac National! Education Service Centers League of Women Voters of the United States National Association for Girls and Women in Sport National Association for Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors National Association of Commissions for Women National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges National Association of Student Personnel Administrators National Coalition of Independent College and University Students National Commission on Working Women National Council of Administrative Women in Education National Council of Jewish Women National Council of Negro Women National Education Association National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. National Organization for Women National Student Educational Fund National Women’s Law Center National Women’s Political Caucus National Women’s Studies Association Project on Equal Education Rights Project on the Status and Education of Women Sociologists for Women in Society Southern Coalition for Educational Equity United States Student Association Women's Collage Coalition Women's Equity Action League Women's Legal Defense Fund Women's Work Force of Wider Opportunities for Women, Inc. Dear Member of Congress, The National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education asks you to join us as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of Title IX. Passed in June of 1972, Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in federally supported educational institutions. This act is one of a few laws which has helped to improve the status and opportunities of women. Although laws are only a catalyst for change, Title IX has truly effected change. Only ten years ago, * The New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell required women to have SAT scores 30-40 points higher than those of entering men. * The Strong Vocational Interest Blank tests, widely used as a career counseling tool, used a separate scoring system for girls and boys. * No colleges or universities offered women athletic scholarships. * An elementary school in Ohio had a policy of assigning male teachers to grades 4-7 and females only to the lower grades. The good news is that Title IX abolished these discriminatory practices. The enclosed briefing papers include concrete examples of ways women and girls have benefitted from Title Ix. However, the news is not all good. Women still head only one percent of their schools. There are still great discrepancies between the athletic budgets of men and women, and many girls are still advised against entering training programs for careers traditionally reserved for men. -2- These inequities point to a compelling need for a strong federal policy to insure that the momentum begun by Title IX continues through the next decade and beyond. Unfortunately, lawmakers, bureaucrats and citizens opposed to equal opportunity for women and girls are attempting to-- through legislative, regulatory and legal actions-- seriously weaken the scope and power of the law. Should these efforts by successful, not only would progress be slowed, but we could return to pre-1972 conditions. We hope that you will join us in celebrating "Ten Years of Good News about Title IX", so we can look forward to a day when our schools are free of sex bias. Sincerely, [Signature] Barbra Stein Coalition Chair [Signature] Carol Bros Coalition Vice-Chair UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NEWS FOR RELEASE Thursday, September 17, 1981 Jane Glickman (202) 245-0375 Secretary of Education T.H. Bell today announced that the Education Department's new procedure for settling sex discrimination cases in college athletics programs has been successfully Carried out with the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM). The new procedure, which Secretary Bell called “cooperation before confrontation,” gives college and Federal officials a chance to discuss Departmental findings and any new steps which a university may have underway before a formal determination is made in the case. Under the old procedure, a university would not have had this opportunity and a finding of noncompliance might have resulted. The change is part of the Education Department's efforts to enforce Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally assisted activities in schools and colleges. The Department is charged with investigating all complaints alleging that women do not have equal opportunity to participate in a college or university's athletics program. The Department's Office for Civil Rights reviewed the program at the University of Hawaii as a result of a complaint filed by a Hawaii state legislator in 1978. -MORE- -2- The investigation revealed that while the University of Hawaii had made significant and continuing progress toward expanding opportunities for its women athletes, some problem areas still remained. Under the new procedure, Hawaii officials had an opportunity to present the plans UHM was in the process of implementing to improve and expand its athletics program for women. Together with the University's record of progress, the additional steps outlined in the plan were sufficient to demonstrate that the remaining problems would be resolved within a reasonable amount of time and, as a result, the Department is able to find the University of Hawaii in compliance with Title IX. "The University of Hawaii's recent efforts on behalf of its women athletes deserve recognition," Bell said. "The new athletic facility that becomes fully operational this fall exemplifies the school's tremendous commitment -- financial and other- wise -- to strengthen its women's athletics program." The new building provides equally large and well equipped training rooms, gymnasium space, conditioning rooms, weight rooms, office space, meeting rooms, and laundry facilities for the male and female athletes. -MORE- -3- UHM's three-year plan calls for several additional changes to improve athletic opportunities for women. Scholarship aid will be increased to reflect the proportion of women athletes in the entire program, growing from nearly $99,000 in 1979-80 to some $220,000 in 1983-84. The number of competitive events for the women's cross country, golf, and track and field teams will be dramatically increased, with an emphasis on more mainland trips. To strengthen the women's coaching staff and provide more time for recruiting athletes, the women's basketball coach will become a full-time position this fall and three assistant coaches will be hired between 1982 and 1984. Funds available for recruiting trips have been increased from $2,000 to $10,000 beginning this school year. The University also plans to increase by 50 percent the number of women participating in intercollegiate athletics over the next three years. To accommodate the interests of the additional athletes, ensure their participation in competitive events, and aid in training and recruitment, the school is considering adding junior varsity squads to the most popular sports, such as volleyball and basketball, as well as adding new teams, such as soccer, softball and gymnastics. -MORE- -4- The University of Hawaii marks the third intercollegiate athletics review successfully resolved: the University of Akron in Ohio and the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut completed successful plans and had them approved by the Department earlier this year. "I applaud the University of Hawaii and its chancellor, Durwood Long, for initiating many positive steps and for cooperating fully with the Education Department to provide equal opportunity for its female athletes," Secretary Bell said. # # #