Gender Equity in Athletics

Title IX & Athletics 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance”.

Title IX regulations require schools to provide equal opportunity based on sex. This requirement applies to athletic programs, including club, intramural, and intercollegiate teams. 

Equal opportunity in college and university athletic programs is measured in three ways: 

  • Equitable treatment and benefits
  • Equitable scholarships and financial assistance 
  • How a school meets students’ athletic interests and abilities

Equitable Treatment and Benefits

Title IX regulations require that schools offer equivalent benefits, opportunities, and treatment to their men’s and women’s teams overall. For instance, this can include but is not limited to, access to quality equipment and supplies, game/practice schedules, travel and daily allowances, coaching, academic tutors, locker rooms and facilities, publicity, recruitment, and other support services. Institutions are complying with Title IX regulations if the compared program components are equivalent, that is, equal or equal in effect. Under this standard, identical benefits, opportunities, or treatment are not required, provided the overall effects of any differences are negligible.

Equitable Scholarships and Financial Assistance

Athletic scholarships and financial assistance for male and female athletes must be proportional to their participation rates in athletic programs. For example, if 45% of the participants in the school’s athletic program are women, then women should receive about 45% of the available athletic financial assistance. The number of scholarships for men and women does not need to be equal. Likewise, the dollar value of individual scholarships does not need to be equal for athletes on men’s and women’s teams. 

Meeting Students’ Athletic Interests and Abilities

To evaluate whether a school’s athletic program is meeting the athletic interests and abilities of men and women in its student body, the school may choose any one of the following three ways to demonstrate that it is fulfilling its legal duty. These options are commonly referred to as the “three-part test.” Each school has flexibility in choosing one of these options based on the best fit for its community.

  • Option 1: Substantial Proportionality: The number of female and male athletes must be “substantially proportionate” to the full-time undergraduate enrollment at the institution.
  • Option 2: History and Continuing Practice: The Athletics department must show a history and continuing practice of program expansion for the underrepresented population.
  • Option 3: Interest and Abilities of Students: Current athletic programs at the institution must fully and effectively accommodate the interest and abilities of the underrepresented sex.

The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA)

The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act requires co-educational institutions of postsecondary education that participate in a Title IV, federal student financial assistance program, and have an intercollegiate athletic program, to prepare an annual report to the Department of Education on athletic participation, staffing, and revenues and expenses, by men's and women's teams.

The EADA report is designed to make prospective students aware of the schools’ commitment to providing equitable athletic opportunities for its men and women students. To view Northwest University’s most current EADA report, please click on the link below. 

EADA Report: Northwest University

Additional Resources 

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR): Athletics

U.S. Department of Education: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA): Title IX

Questions/Concerns

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Northwest University’s compliance with Title IX and equity in our athletics programs, please contact one of the following individuals. 

Director of Athletics
Dr. Gary Mcintosh II
gary.mcintosh@northwestu.edu
425-889-7790

Assistant Director of Athletics/Operations Coordinator
NAIA Senior Woman Leader (SWL)
Emily Hatate
emily.hatate@northwestu.edu
425-889-5582

VP of Student Development 
Dr. Rick Engstrom
rick.engstrom@northwestu.edu
425-889-6397