Teams claim U. athletics not equitable

Women want same as men The University discriminates against its female athletes by not giving them the same equipment and services it provides to male athletes, according to a federal civil rights complaint filed against the University Friday. The complaint, filed by a non-profit feminist legal advocacy organization called the Women's Law Project, claims that the University is in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX mandates equal treatment of men's and women's athletes at any school that receives federal funds. The University issued a statement expressing its commitment to "gender equity in its athletic programs." "The University has been implementing significant changes and devoting substantial resources to improve women's athletics," the statement continues. But the Women's Law Project, which is representing a group of 10 Penn coaches and female athletes, claims that the University has not moved quickly enough. "There have been very few and slow attempts to rectify the problems, and that's what's bothering us," Penn women's crew coach Carol Bower said Tuesday. "The way it's going, it's never going to get done." According to Bower, the coaches attempted to pursue improvements by dealing directly with the athletic department. When this attempt failed, the coaches wrote a letter to the athletic department demanding four specific improvements and the creation of a task force to make further recommendations, Bower said. The coaches wanted two female sports, volleyball and field hockey, to be promoted to Level I status, which would increase the amount of resources devoted to coaching, recruiting, travel and other benefits. Currently, only men's football and basketball and women's basketball have Level I status. The letter also asked the University to hire on-site trainers, to restore the softball team's Warren Field and to resolve current salary claims, including back pay. According to Bower, when the University did not respond to these demands by the letter's by the April 21 deadline, the coaches decided to file the claim. "We took a very ordered progress before we filed the claim," Bower said. "We talked to the athletic department, we talked to general counsel and we gave the athletic department until [April 21] to respond to our grievances. "It's not a surprise," she said. "They knew it was coming." Still, the University claims that it has been working diligently and in good faith over the last year to improve gender equity. "For more than a year, Penn has been implementing significant changes and devoting substantial funds to support different programs," said Acting Director of News and Public Affairs Barbara Beck. "All along, things have been done to address Title IX." Beck also said that construction and improvements have been made to Warren Field -- just not to the extent the female coaches would like. She added that the University has "committed $500,000 to be spent over the next 18 months to address gender equity issues." The athletic department has also promoted the women's soccer coach to a full-time position and is adding more coaches for other sports, Beck said. The 10-page grievance, however, claims numerous services and facilities are substantially lacking. "In many instances, there are significant disparities in the quality, amount, suitability and availability of equipment and supplies (including uniforms and practice gear) provided to women and men athletes," the complaint states. The complaint cites crew as an example of this, because the women's team has eight boats while the men's team has 22. In addition, the softball team's uniforms have not been replaced for at least five years, but the baseball team's uniforms are replaced more frequently, it states. Penn gymnastics coach Tom Kovic said his athletes also suffer from inadequate facilities. "The gymnastics facility is just an open facility divided by a vinyl curtain," he said, describing the team's practice facility in Hutchinson Gym. "[In addition,] the squash players, have to go through the gymnastics facility to get to the squash courts. A kid could easily hurt herself or hurt the squash player. "Also, recreational basketball is being played on the other side of the curtain," he added. "Balls have flown through many times -- the potential for danger is obvious." Incoming Athletic Director Steve Bilsky, who takes office July 1, will now be forced to address the issue of gender equity early in his tenure. "I see it as a farm at Penn, and there's a field that hasn't been used yet," Bower said. "That field is women's athletics, and we hope [the grievance] will be used as a tool for Bilsky to let the field grow and harvest the crops."