U. negotiates settlement in Title IX suit

Penn gymnasts no longer have to worry about basketballs interrupting their balance beam routines in Hutchinson Gym thanks to an out-of-court Title IX settlement between the University and the Women's Law Project of Philadelphia. The agreement comes after more than a year of negotiations between the two parties. The complaint, filed on behalf of Penn women athletes and women's team coaches, stated that the University was not providing equal opportunity for women athletes in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title IX requires universities that receive any kind of federal funding to have equal facilities and resources for all of their athletes. Under the terms of the agreement, the crew team's Schuylkill Boathouse will be renovated, and the women's crew team will get additional boats and the same movable storage racks that are already used by the men's crew team. Weight room renovations have been completed in Hutchinson Gym and a weight trainer for female athletes will also be hired, according to Carol Tracy, executive director of the Women's Law Project. In addition, the women's gymnastics and squash coaches and field hockey and lacrosse assistant coaches are now full-time positions. Financial terms of the agreement were not released, but according to Athletic Director Steve Bilsky, no funding was taken away from any of the men's sports teams. But not all of the terms have earmarked funding. Money for the renovation and addition of space for the new coaches' offices depends on a fund-raising drive by the Athletic Department. In two months, a gender equity committee will be formed to oversee the implementation of the agreement and review future issues, Bilsky said. The committee will include coaches, administrators, student-athletes and members of volunteer groups from the Philadelphia community. All of the changes should be completed within two years, Bilsky added. Negotiations between the two parties were not always smooth. In March, Fred Shabel, chairperson of Spectacor and former athletic director and vice president of the University, was asked to facilitate negotiation talks. "We were not moving along the way we should have been and were considering litigation," Tracy said. "Fred knew that we wanted it resolved and he's the kind of person that can turn good intentions into actions." The University's willingness to reach an out-of-court settlement was influenced by the desire to avoid a lengthy court case similar to Brown University's case, Bilsky said. In that case, the Brown athletic department was forced to make gymnastics a fully funded varsity sport after dismantling the program because of budget cuts. Brown is currently appealing the decision, which came after four years of litigation. Bilsky said the settlement was a "win" for the University. "It's an investment that the University is making to athletics and recreation for the future," he added. The coaches of the women's teams were also pleased with the settlement, and with the fact no unnecessary money was spent for litigation, according to Women's Crew Coach Carol Bower, the spokesperson for the coaches. "We're all really excited since we knew both parties wanted a settlement," Bower said. "It was just a matter of getting the nuts and bolts to make it work."

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