As reported elsewhere earlier in the week, James Madison, citing a desire to comply with Title IX regulations, plans to drop men's indoor and outdoor track and x-country (as well as 4 other men's and 3 women's sports) at the end of the 2006-2007 school year. (www.jmu.edu/jmuweb/general/news/general7490.shtml)
Now the response includes a letter from the United States Olympic Committee - signed by the head of each of its sports which has been cut by JMU... along with an article in Sports Illustrated. If you haven't already emailed the AD at JMU...get to it ASAP!
According to the 10/7 NY Times, many students at James Madison, both male and female, are not happy with the decision. Jennifer Chapman, a senior on Madison's women's x-country team, led 400 students in a protest rally on campus. Chapman said, "Title IX was created in 1972 to prevent sex discrimination, and it was needed. But look what's happening now. We rode a bus home from Pennsylvania (the team got the bad news after competing at the Paul Short Inv.) for four hours, 14 guys and 19 girls all crying together. How is that supposed to have been Title IX's intent?"
Gender inequality: Title IX was necessary then, but now it's just unfair
Read the full New York Times story (free registration may be required)
Related Links: Title IX, Gender Equity in Sports
Related Links: Title IX, Amendments US Dept of Labor
You can find many more links by Googling "Title IX"
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In Virgina at our fellow MileSplit Network site, webmaster Brandon Miles has set up a front page ad to enable you to email the Athletic Director of JMU to share your feelings. But there is no need to visit MileStat, when you can simply CLICK HERE
For more on what the JMU students are doing about this, VISIT HERE