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What is your opinion of the action Ohio University has taken by cutting 4 "minor" sports in the name of Title IX? 

In their announcement Jan. 29, 2007, they stated a main reason for the cut was their non-compliance with Title IX and the other was financial. The Title IX reason floored most people because it was widely thought that OU was one of the best in the country for compliance (I believe they were thought to be 2nd in the country).

 If they aren’t in compliance what does that say about the rankings of all of the other institutions?

Apparently OU is due for a review by NCAA this year, and the AD indicated OU needed to do something quickly because of their non-compliance status; their answer was to cut Men's Track, Men's Swimming and Women's Lacrosse. This seems to be contrary to everything I have read about NCAA's public policy toward Title IX and specifically your comment about working with institutions to find a way to comply instead of using sports cuts to bring them into compliance. 

On the clarification of Title IX in 2003 you said, “The NCAA will work closely with its member universities and colleges and with OCR to implement Title IX within the context of this clarification letter. We will assist in educational activities and use all other means at our disposal to support the intent and goals of Title IX.” 

Has Ohio University contacted NCAA about their non-compliance issue? 

And your quote I like the most, “I certainly hope no University cuts sports to comply with Title IX. There are always alternatives. The NCAA is always ready and able to work with an athletics department to identify acceptable alternatives to cutting sports. It should not be the case that men's participation opportunities are diminished to comply with Title IX." 

I have read much of what you have said about Title IX and believe you mean what you say. I value your opinion so please tell me what your opinion is about institutions continuing to use Title IX as a scapegoat for their inability to their manage budgets or their preoccupation with pumping up their football and basketball teams without regard to what it means to the athletes, schools, and families of the sacrificed program? 

When will we stop pitting men's sports against women's sports and athletes? Where will our runners and swimmers come from after a while? And what about cutting one of ,if not the fastest growing sport in the country (Women’s Lacrosse) to balance out the cuts.  Doesn’t this fly in the face of everything Title IX was meant to do and should do for all athletes?

To get the benefit of cutting Women’s Lacrosse, the operating budget and scholarships it was necessary for OU to cut men’s sports.  Even with those cuts OU still isn’t in compliance so what view does NCAA take on these actions? I have heard it is an institutional decision to cut sports for financial reasons and while I understand that, if they cut them under the guise of Title IX and still aren’t in compliance what does the NCAA do?

A quote from a statement you issued on 7/11/2003 regarding the clarification of Title IX by AS of Civil Rights Gerald Reynolds, “All young women and men engaged in athletics have reason to cheer today. And all of us who support their athletics endeavors, myself proudly included, should join in their celebration.” 

Dr. Brand, I can say without a doubt this action taken by OU in support of their athletes is the bleakest day of their lives. They have lost their sport, their university and their trust in the administration and have broken any connection to the university and the alums that served it so well academically and athletically. 

They now can take no pride in what they worked so hard to build; they have nowhere to point to say they were a part of that. All the time they spent in the pool, on a bus, on a snowy field, in rehab, have meant nothing.  Pride in representing their school on and off the playing field, pool and track is lost to them. 

Those that were just starting their college careers or had dreams about representing their new university will more than likely move on but will never trust the administration of another university again.

These are the very athletes the university and the NCAA should be looking toward to represent their interest but instead they are the victims of the administrations greed for the “money” athletes under the guise of Title IX.

Dr. Brand agreed to address this topic in an upcoming edition of Mondays With Myles.