Title IX choices aren't easy for Southeast

It isn't easy to run sports programs at colleges and universities. Virtually ever facet of every sport is heavily regulated by NCAA rules, conference guidelines, school policies and various laws -- including Title IX, the federal law passed in 1972 that prohibits sex discrimination in college programs.

Southeast Missouri State University's athletic programs are up for recertification by the NCAA, a process that occurs every 10 years. In June, university president Ken Dobbins appointed an ad hoc committee to review all of the women's athletic programs offered at the university. Since then, members of Southeast's women's gymnastics program have grown concerned that their team may be cut. This uneasiness is the result of an acknowledgment from university officials that such an option is under review. But so are a lot of other options, and no final decisions have been made yet.

Colleges and universities across the nation are struggling with the same issues regarding their sports programs.

Earlier this month, CBS' "60 Minutes" aired a segment about the impact of Title IX across the nation -- in particular from the point of view of male athletes who have seen their programs cut as colleges and universities struggle to make more sports programs available to women.

As noted in the TV show, the list of men's teams that have been dropped is long: The University of Miami -- alma mater of diving champion Greg Louganis -- no longer has a swimming and diving team. Gymnastics programs used to be offered at 107 colleges. Now that number has dwindled to 20 college teams. Wrestling has been cut at Marquette and Brigham Young.

When it was announced recently that Dartmouth would be the first Ivy League university to cut its swimming team, a student had an enterprising idea: auction the team off to a corporate sponsor on eBay. The proposal received a top bid of $212,000 before eBay stopped the auction when it realized the student didn't own the team and, therefore, wasn't in a position to sell it. Moreover, Dartmouth officials said they weren't interested in getting the money to save the swimming team in that manner.

While most references to Title IX these days focus on sports programs, the law applies to all college programs -- including, as pointed out by "60 Minutes" reporter Bob Simon, science and dance courses. When interviewed by Simon, University of Chicago wrestling coach Leo Kocher said, "It may be that not as many men are interested in dance as women, but it might also be that not as many women are interested in athletics as men. The law does not allow for that possibility."

Kocher's point may be an honest assessment of why it is so difficult to impose proportionality on Title IX compliance, but it fails to recognize that Title IX is the law of the land, and university administrators are in no position to ignore the law's mandate in providing sports opportunities to students.

As it continues to look for balance in its programs, Southeast faces the certainty that some students, along with their coaches and supporters, will be unhappy with whatever changes are made. But the university's motivation isn't to slight any program, only to comply with the law.