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Update on Title IX
For a year, Oglethorpe Women’s Network has followed with
interest in Title IX legislation as it faced criticism during its
30th anniversary year. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in any
education program or activity receiving federal aid, including
athletics.
Myles Brand, president of the NCAA and commencement speaker for
Oglethorpe's 2003 graduation, addressed several IX issues in his
talk. Referring to the 1972 Civil Rights legislation as the "real
field-of-dreams story," Dr. Brand reported that less than 30,000
women participated in college sports thirty years ago. Today the
number is almost 150,000.
Dr. Brand said, "Conventional wisdom led us to believe that
girls and women simply were not as interested or capable in sports
as boys and men." Dr. Brand continued, "We wonder what they must
have been thinking. If we thought sports could bring value to the
lives of young boys, how could we not have thought it would do the
same for young girls?"
Critics of Title IX feel the program has forced certain male
sports programs to be eliminated in order to maintain gender equity.
However, in July the Justice Department, as well as a commission
President Bush appointed to review the legislation, both recommended
no changes. Instead, they suggested clarifying some wording in the
legislation in order to broaden funding capabilities for
under-funded male athletic programs.
Conversations with Betsy Morris, an OWN-sponsored program
Betsy Morris, in informal conversation on April 23 with Lee
Wilder, discussed her role as senior writer for Fortune
magazine.
The program was presented on April 23, 2003, at Oglethorpe
University’s Museum of Art for members of Oglethorpe Women’s
Network, Oglethorpe faculty, staff and students.
Betsy and Lee spoke candidly about an array of topics and
what is involved in bringing a story from idea to finished product. At
Fortune, Betsy
covers consumer, marketing and economic trends. She revealed that
her features often address issues involving women in business. She
also confessed that juggling an active career with family is an
on-going challenge.
Betsy’s features have included "Trophy Husbands," "Is Your
Family Wrecking Your Career," "The Dyslexic CEO," "Fed-Up: Executive
Women and Mid-Life Crisis" and "What’s a Corporate Wife Worth? The
Story of Lorna Wendt."
Members of the audience had an opportunity to ask questions and
express their ideas to Betsy.
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