Title IX: Cuts to College Athletics

The athletic opportunities offered by a university can make or break a young athlete’s career. Despite this, women’s sports are often the first target of budget cuts. A sudden change in an athletic program can potentially hurt your future prospects, which is especially problematic if the change was due to prejudice. 

The Education Amendments Act of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits schools and universities from discriminating against students based on their gender. This broad legislation applies to all aspects of student-university interactions, including how universities handle their athletic programs. Although Title IX doesn’t prevent the elimination of women’s sports entirely, it ensures they aren’t removed disproportionately to men’s sports. The opportunities for each gender must be equal, and if universities act unethically, they could be held liable for their actions.

Your university could claim they cut your sport for ethical reasons to avoid a lawsuit. Due to the recent pandemic, many universities have reduced their athletic budget, and some have cut sports programs as a result. However, if cuts need to be made, they should be proportional between the genders.

Brown University recently cut 11 varsity teams from its roster to reallocate the budget to other sports, touting that the change would “increase their competitiveness.” These sports were removed unequally, and many women’s teams were cut while their male counterparts remained within the budget. The students quickly took action and filed a lawsuit against the school for the discriminatory treatment of their female students.

The university believed they could get around the law by promoting some sports to varsity status while removing others. However, by limiting the opportunities for their female students, they created an unfair environment within their program and violated Title IX.

Sports are designed to be competitive, and you can’t have competition without other athletes to play against. When universities cut sports unequally, it not only hurts the athletes at the school but the sport in general. You shouldn’t have to stress about potentially transferring schools to continue the sport you love, and we can help you fight back.

Morgan & Morgan has the resources to hold a university of any size accountable for its Title IX violations. Discrimination is unacceptable by any means, and it’s especially intolerable when it can damage your future. If your university is treating its athletes unequally, contact Morgan & Morgan today.