CSUN Still Hasn’t Achieved Gender Equity in Sports

Although most California State University campuses have achieved compliance with a 1993 agreement on gender equity in athletics, Cal State Northridge is among a handful of schools lagging behind, according to a report released Tuesday.

Still, representatives of the California National Organization for Women were pleased with the CSU report showing significant increases systemwide in participation, funding and grants for women’s sports.

Northridge ranked at or near the bottom of the three categories among the 19 CSU schools that offer athletics. But Northridge, like all CSU campuses, has made measurable gains, said Linda Joplin, chairwoman of the Cal-NOW athletic equity committee.

“If you look where they started, they’ve had significant gaps to make up,” Joplin said. “Even though they have not conformed with the criteria, they have proposed a plan and do intend to be in compliance in the coming years. All schools are not where they said they would be, but most are very, very close.”

Cal-NOW sued the Cal State system in 1993, alleging discrimination against women’s athletics. Before the case went to trial, Cal-NOW and CSU reached an agreement requiring each campus to increase its percentage of women athletes as well as funding for women’s sports.

Since 1992, CSUN has increased the percentage of scholarships awarded to female athletes to 49% from 40% and increased funding for women’s sports to 48% from 40%.

Currently, CSUN women athletes outnumber their male counterparts 242 to 212.

“They’ve made commitments to raise additional funding and I hope they will be able to do that,” Joplin said of CSUN. “They have a long road ahead. Let’s hope they can get there.”

CSUN Athletic Director Dick Dull said the school expects to be in compliance within three years. Northridge intends to add at least three women’s sports, including water polo. The school added women’s soccer in 1995 and women’s golf in 1996.

“Given what this institution has done over the last six years, I see no reason why we can’t comply to the letter of the decree,” Dull said.

The report noted that an increase in female enrollment in the last two years contributed to noncompliance at CSUN and other campuses. Of Cal State Northridge’s more than 27,000 students, 61% are female.

CSU’s systemwide averages for participation and funding were in compliance with the Cal-NOW decree. The system’s average toward grants was 2.3% short of the goal.

Fifteen campuses are in compliance for funding. Eleven campuses are in compliance for participation and grants.

The report also noted a sharp jump in the percentage of women athletes from 1992 to 1999.

The percentage at CSU schools has increased from 34.7% to 53.6% since 1992. The number of grants awarded to CSU women athletes has increased 184% since 1992, the report said.