On Friday James Madison University's board of visitors approved a plan to bring the JMU Athletics program in compliance with Title IX, by cutting 10 of the school's 28 athletic programs. The plan will take effect July 1, 2007.
Title IX requires that a school's percentage of males and females who take part in athletics reflect the percentage of males and females in the school's undergraduate population, JMU spokesman Andy Perrine said.
"JMU's enrollment has shifted over the years and has become more female-oriented," Perrine said. "Our sports programs have gotten out of compliance, creating the necessity of cutting programs."
JMU's undergraduate student body is 61 percent female and 39 percent male, while the percentage of students participating in athletics is 51 percent female and 49 percent male. This places female and male athletic participation 10 percent out of proportion with the school's enrollment, Perrine said.
"The plan will eliminate men's archery, cross country, gymnastics, indoor and outdoor track, swimming and wrestling," Perrine said. "It will also eliminate women's archery, gymnastics and fencing."
JMU's compliance with Title IX will affect 144 students and 11 coaches. Eight affected students are on sports scholarships, Perrine said.
"Affected students who are on [sports] scholarships will be offered the scholarships until they graduate from James Madison," Perrine said. Most "affected coaches will receive severance packages starting July 1. Some will be re-hired for other positions."
Perrine said that he would not be surprised if some students who participate in the cut sports decided to transfer from the school.
The money saved by cutting these programs will be put back into creating more opportunities for females in the athletic department, Perrine said.
JMU has heard from students, parents, alumni and the public about the decision, Perrine said.
JMU is currently seventh nationally in Division I in terms of the number of teams. The school's ranking will fall to 125th after the designated programs are cut, according to Perrine.
The University uses the "Three-Prong Test" in order to determine compliance with Title IX, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage said. The test consists of three questions that a school must answer in order to determine if it is in compliance with Title IX.
The first question is whether participation levels are in proportion with enrolment levels; the second is whether the school shows a history of expanding programs for the underrepresented minority; the third question determines, through surveys, if the programs that are in demand by the unrepresented minority are available, Littlepage said.
"U.Va. has a history of adding sports for women at the school," Littlepage said. "In 1995 we added women's rowing and in 2001 we added women's golf. ... We also conduct interim surveys to determine the need of programs for women" in the athletics department.
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