The California State University today released a report on equal opportunity in athletics for women that shows continued increases in the number of female participants and funding for women’s intercollegiate athletic programs, as well as an increase in grants-in-aid. The most recent data available is from the 2008-2009 academic year and is collected as part of a voluntary self-monitoring report conducted annually by the CSU.

“Our voluntary process of self-monitoring gender equity in the CSU’s athletic programs continues to be a valuable tool in assessing our progress in this area,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed. “As this report highlights, the CSU continues to be leaders in the commitment to equal opportunity in athletics.”

In 1993, the CSU and the California National Organization for Women (CA NOW) entered into a consent decree to increase participation, funding and grants-in aid and scholarships for female students in intercollegiate athletics on NCAA member campuses. By March of 2000 it was determined that the consent decree was satisfied, and since then the CSU has voluntarily self-monitored to gauge progress in these areas. At the time that the most recent data was collected, the CSU had 20 campuses that were members of the NCAA with the California Maritime Academy and California State University San Marcos holding membership in the NAIA and California State University Channel Islands not yet fielding any athletic programs.

Across the system on the 20 NCAA member campuses, females participating in intercollegiate athletics within the CSU increased from 1,862 in 1992-93 (the first year of report) to 4,165 in 2008-2009. This represents an increase of 123.7 percent over the 16-year period. Additionally, in 2008-2009 59 more women participated in intercollegiate athletics, an increase of 1.4 percent over the previous year.

Over that same 16-year span, funding has risen from $11.2 million to $95.3 million, an increase of 751 percent. The increase in funding over the previous recorded year was $4.5 million, a 5.0 percent increase.

Lastly, grants-in-aid across the CSU rose from $2.5 million to $15.4 million, a 516 percent increase. The increase in grants-in-aid over the previous year was slightly more than $1 million, an increase of 7.5 percent.

“The CSU continues to make measurable progress across the system in the areas of participation, funding and scholarships for female athletes,” said Fresno State President John Welty, the chair of the CSU’s gender equity committee. “We will continue to monitor these areas to ensure that our equity goals will be met.”

Under the original agreement between the CSU and CA NOW each campus would ensure:

  • Participation by men and women athletes will be within five percentage points of the proportion of NCAA eligible women and men undergraduates on campus;
  • Expenditures will be within 10 percentage points of the proportion of NCAA eligible women and men undergraduates, with the deduction of non-comparable expenses for two men’s and two women’s sports; and
  • Grants-in-aid will be within five percentage points of the proportion of the NCAA eligible women and men undergraduates.

For 2008-09, 16 campuses met their target goals in all three areas including: Chico, Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Fullerton, Humboldt, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Northridge, Pomona, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus and Sonoma. Additionally, Cal Maritime and Cal State San Marcos, both members of the NAIA, met their target goals.

PARTICIPATION

During 2008-09, all 20 of the NCAA member campuses met or exceeded their target goals in participation. This marked the first time that all campuses exceeded target goals in this area.

FUNDING/EXPENDITURES

In the area of funding, all 20 of the member campuses met or exceeded goals. This marked the second time that each member campus reached or exceeded goals and the first time since 2002-2003.

GRANTS

Sixteen of the 20 campuses met or exceeded their target goals. Four campuses did not meet their goals for grants-in-aid including Bakersfield (1.6%), Fresno State (7.1%), San Diego State (2.8%) and San José State (1.4%)

To view the full report please visit: http://www.calstate.edu/infocenter/CalNOW_AnnualReport_2008-2009.pdf

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