IU Athletics To Begin Year-Long Celebration Of 50th Anniversary Of Title IX This Week
6/21/2022 1:30:00 PM | General, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Golf, Women's Rowing, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Track and Field, Women's Volleyball, Women's Water Polo, History
This week, Indiana University Athletics will launch a year-long celebration of one of the most significant dates in the history of intercollegiate athletics.
This Thursday, June 23, is the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Education Amendments and Title IX, the 1972 federal legislation co-authored by IU alumnus and former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh. Among other things, the legislation was designed to address sex discrimination and provide equal access and opportunities to women at publicly-funded institutions such as Indiana University.
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance," Title IX reads.
When U.S. President Richard Nixon signed the legislation into law, those words had a wide-ranging impact on college campuses across the country. And one of the areas that was most dramatically impacted was athletics. Prior to Title IX, intercollegiate athletic opportunities for women were virtually non-existent. But thanks to Title IX, the ball began rolling – ever so slowly – to address that inequity and begin the process of providing women with the same type of intercollegiate athletic opportunities that men had enjoyed for generations.
"For today's generation, it's largely unimaginable to think of a time when women did not and could not compete in intercollegiate athletics," said IU Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson. "But that was the reality prior to Title IX. This anniversary is a great time for everyone to reflect on not only the strides we have made during these last 50 years, but also the work that we still have ahead."
IU Athletics will kick off its Title IX Anniversary celebration two days early. Later today, the department will welcome current and former student-athletes, coaches, staff, and distinguished guests to the IU Athletics Title IX Reception at the Henke Hall of Champions from 5-6:30 p.m.
That reception, though, is just the start of what IU has planned for the 2022-23 year. In recognition of the fact that not everyone will be able to attend the inaugural IU Athletics Title IX celebration event Tuesday, a series of other Title IX-anniversary related items are also set to launch soon. In addition, IU Athletics will provide updates on other Title IX events as they are finalized.
Among the other items that are on the horizon are:
This Thursday, June 23, is the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Education Amendments and Title IX, the 1972 federal legislation co-authored by IU alumnus and former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh. Among other things, the legislation was designed to address sex discrimination and provide equal access and opportunities to women at publicly-funded institutions such as Indiana University.
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance," Title IX reads.
When U.S. President Richard Nixon signed the legislation into law, those words had a wide-ranging impact on college campuses across the country. And one of the areas that was most dramatically impacted was athletics. Prior to Title IX, intercollegiate athletic opportunities for women were virtually non-existent. But thanks to Title IX, the ball began rolling – ever so slowly – to address that inequity and begin the process of providing women with the same type of intercollegiate athletic opportunities that men had enjoyed for generations.
"For today's generation, it's largely unimaginable to think of a time when women did not and could not compete in intercollegiate athletics," said IU Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson. "But that was the reality prior to Title IX. This anniversary is a great time for everyone to reflect on not only the strides we have made during these last 50 years, but also the work that we still have ahead."
IU Athletics will kick off its Title IX Anniversary celebration two days early. Later today, the department will welcome current and former student-athletes, coaches, staff, and distinguished guests to the IU Athletics Title IX Reception at the Henke Hall of Champions from 5-6:30 p.m.
That reception, though, is just the start of what IU has planned for the 2022-23 year. In recognition of the fact that not everyone will be able to attend the inaugural IU Athletics Title IX celebration event Tuesday, a series of other Title IX-anniversary related items are also set to launch soon. In addition, IU Athletics will provide updates on other Title IX events as they are finalized.
Among the other items that are on the horizon are:
- IU Athletics Title IX microsite – Later this week, IUHoosiers.com will unveil a special section devoted to recognizing this special anniversary and the pioneers who paved the way on the IU campus. Among many items, the site will include:
- Biographies of 30 'pioneers' of IU Women's Athletics
- Present-day features on pioneer student-athletes Kathy Ellis, Heather (Crowe) Conner and Jayma Meyer
- Timeline of the growth of women's athletics at Indiana University
- Great moments in the history of IU women's athletics
- Inaugural IU Athletics Women's Excellence Symposium – The first annual one-day symposium will take place on Saturday, August 13, 2022, in Bloomington and will bring together alumni, donors, fans, student-athletes, coaches and staff in support of our 13 women's varsity sports and our 300+ female student-athletes. We hope to inform, engage and inspire attendees through various speakers and sessions throughout the day. More detailed information and registration will be available in early July. Women's Excellence was launched in 2021 with the purpose of generating philanthropic support for the continued success of Indiana Athletics' women's programs. For more information on this initiative, visit IUHoosiers.com/we.
- Title IX Video Series – Throughout the 2022-23 year, we will share historical and present-day stories and reflections on the significance of Title IX on IUHoosiers.com as well as on our various social media channels. The first two videos will be included on the IU Athletics Title IX microsite later this month.
- IU Athletics Title IX anniversary logo – Designed specifically to honor the 50th anniversary of Title IX and IU's pioneers, the logo will be displayed in a variety of ways throughout the year both at on site and electronically.
- Big Ten Conference Women's Leadership Summit – This Thursday and Friday, Deputy Director of Athletics Mattie White, Assistant Field Hockey Coach Dani Castro, Faculty Athletics Representative Marietta Simpson, and three student-athletes - Kiandra Browne (WBB), Ara Cowper (Rowing) and Mackenzie Holmes (WBB) – will be at the Big Ten Conference offices in Chicago to participate in the Big Ten Women's Leadership Summit, which aims to educate, empower, and inspire women across the Big Ten Conference to continue the mission set forth by Title IX. The summit will include several intriguing panels and keynote speakers to recognize and celebrate the progress made in athletics as a direct result of the passage of Title IX.
- Sharing Your Title IX Stories – Throughout the year, IU Athletics will be soliciting feedback from former student-athletes, coaches, and staff members to share their memories from the era HERE. We will then share many of these submissions on IUHoosiers.com and on social media.
- Adidas – Adidas will collaborate with the IU Athletic Department to celebrate Title IX in a variety of ways throughout the upcoming year.
- Title IX Anniversary recognitions at 2022-23 home athletic events – throughout the course of the 2022-23 season, we will be highlighting the significance of Title IX at our home events. Depending on the venue, these recognitions will include video board stories, former student-athlete recognitions, and more.
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