Title IX celebrates its 50th anniversary Gender equality came to athletics in 1972 by Chris Karenbauer Teresa Clark, Cedarville University's Faculty Athletic Representative, was a student athlete when Title IX was implemented 50 years ago. She played volleyball as a student. and then she returned to Cedarville as the head coach for the volleyball team. Title IX of the Education Amendments was adopted in 1972 to end sex discrimination. According to the Department of Education, Title IX ··protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance." As other colleges and universities remodeled their athletic programs to accommodate women in their athletic programs, Cedarville University - called Cedarville College at the time - did not need to change much. It was already allowing women to participate in academics and athletics "As a student athlete during that time, I never felt like what we were doing didn't matter: Clark said. "I always felt respected, and we had gym time; we were able to compete; we had our own schedule; we had transportation; we had uniforms. And so, we were respected on this campus. Cedarville provided equal opportunities for men and women well before 1972 But what were colleges and universities like before Title IX7 Cedarville's Title IX coordinator Shannon Berkheiser said that, in academics. women were excluded from majors that were not considered "lady-like" or were seen as male8 CED.RS Graphic by Natalie Cherry Lisi Williamson is a forward on Cedarville's women's soccer team. only, which included engineering and business. In athletics, sports were mostly for men, aside from what most people considered "feminine" like cheerleading. Since the implementation of Title IX, women have been given the option to participate in athletics alongside their male counterparts. Berkheiser pulled numbers from the Women's Sports Foundation. In the 1971-1972 school year before Title IX was implemented. under 30,000 women participated in college athletics. Comparatively, about 170,000 men played some kind of sport. Since the 2020-2021 school year, about 215,000 women play sports. Before Title IX. most schools did not allow for women to play in sports or discouraged them from participating. But Cedarville University was different. "At Cedarville, we were ahead of the curve in terms of Title IX,' said Chris Cross, the athletic director at Cedarville University. "We had field hockey, volleyball and cheerleading prior to 1972. Soon after 1972, in 1973, we started women's basketbalL So, we were providing opportunities at Cedarville well before,Title IX was enacted." Clark attributes Cedarville's commitment to the Bible for this forward thinking. "We look at the Word of God, and it tells us, 'Respect everyone'," she said. "God has created everyone, and we are to embrace that." Since Title IX was implemented, Cedarville has expanded its women's athletic programs by adding soccer, softball, cross country and track. Lisi Williamson, a junior soccer player, said, "I think, generally, I do not believe my experience has been tainted by sexism. However, coming in my freshman year, there was one situation that was completely unfair, and just got resolved this year." During her sophomore year, the athletic department was supposed to construct a women's locker room for the soccer players. which was part of Cedarvil!e's 10-year plan. However, only the men's soccer locker room got renovated. "Fortunately, we had one representative that was just about as livid as we were and fought for us to at !east get a new space,· Williamson said. "It took two years, but finally this year we were in our own space. It's not as pretty or spacious like the men's locker rooms, but it is our own space Despite some struggles. Cedarville does a good job allowing women to participate in athletics, and with Fall 2022
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