Title IX and the Olympics

Ginny Baxter, Program Vice President

In honor of the recent US Women’s Soccer World Gold Cup victory, we’re “kicking” off the Fall AAUW program with a presentation by US female Olympians and the Loyola Marymount Women’s Athletic Director to discuss the impact of Title 9 on recent the US Women’s Gold Medal Victories. Title IX or 9 is a clause in the Education Amendments of 1972 which states that no one shall be denied benefits of any educational program or activity that receives direct federal aid because of their sex. Because of this legislation, colleges throughout the US drastically changed their funding for women’s athletic programs among other areas.

Susie Atwood, Medalist in the 1968 and 1972 Olympics did not have the benefit of this law. Lisa Fernandez, 3-time Gold Medalist in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics did. They will join Nancy Lyons, currently serving as Senior Associate Athletic Director at Loyola Marymount University. She has enjoyed a multi -faceted career in Intercollegiate Athletics for the past 35 years. Nancy will provide a short history of the implications of Title IX. In addition, come meet our 2019 Long Beach City College and Cal State, Long Beach Scholarship Recipients.

WE ARE STARTING THE PROGRAM at 10:00 am on September 7 to allow Lisa to meetanother commitment. Come early for the social and coffee at 9:30 and we will be ready to start the program at 10:00. The scholarship introductions and business meeting will start at 11:00 followed by a buffet lunch at 12:00.

At the Board Retreat we decided to start the business meeting with an “ice breaker.” Be prepared to answer, “What was your high school or college sport?” This should be fun and let us get to know each other better!