EDITORIAL: A Solid Settlement

We applaud both theWe applaud both theUniversity and the Women'sWe applaud both theUniversity and the Women'sLaw Project of PhiladelphiaWe applaud both theUniversity and the Women'sLaw Project of Philadelphiafor reaching an out-of-courtWe applaud both theUniversity and the Women'sLaw Project of Philadelphiafor reaching an out-of-courtsettlement in the Title IXWe applaud both theUniversity and the Women'sLaw Project of Philadelphiafor reaching an out-of-courtsettlement in the Title IXlawsuit.We applaud both theUniversity and the Women'sLaw Project of Philadelphiafor reaching an out-of-courtsettlement in the Title IXlawsuit.______________________________ The settlement is especially uplifting for the University because it occurs in the wake of a disasterous, lengthy court case over the same issue at another Ivy League institution, Brown University. In that case, following four tiring, expensive years litigating over Title IX, Brown was forced to make gymnastics a fully funded varsity sport after dismantling the same program due to budget cuts. We applaud the University for avoiding a similar situation. As part of the settlement entered into by the University, women's squash and gymnastics head coaching positions and field hockey and women's lacrosse assistant coaching positions will be made full time. New part-time assistant coaches will be added to women's crew and lacrosse. Improvements will be made to women's locker rooms, weight rooms and the women's crew facilities. A fundraising drive will provide money to create more office space and renovate existing space for coaches. A gender equity advisory committee will be formed under the settlement as well. We hope this committee will hold the University to the strictest interpretation of the settlement, and demand that these changes be in place within two years just as Athletic Director Steve Bilsky has promised. The settlement hopefully signals the beginning of a peace process between female athletes and coaches and the University administration. We encourage the University to complete these changes on schedule in order to illustrate its commitment to the settlement specifically, and equality in general.