An internal investigation into Cal Poly Athletics and questions over Title IX compliance as the saga surrounding the elimination of the university's swim and dive programs continues.
Last week, Cal Poly received a letter from the non-profit legal advocacy organization Champion Women and the law firm Equity IX informing the university that, with the elimination of the Cal Poly Swim and Dive program, the university is not Title IX compliant.
“They can spend a lot of money on legal fees if they want to, but they cannot cut women's swimming," said Nancy Hogshead, Champion Women CEO.
According to Hogshead, a former Olympic gold medalist swimmer, Cal Poly doesn’t meet any of the three standards for Title IX compliance, which revolve around equal athletic participation opportunities, equal athletic scholarships and equal treatment benefits.
Similar issues have taken place nationwide with William & Mary, Dartmouth, and the University of Iowa all having had women's programs cut, only to be reinstated after being deemed in violation of Title IX.
“They've had decades and decades to solve this and the school has not solved it," Hogshead said. "They have continuously invested in men's sports.”
According to the letter, Cal Poly’s enrollment is 50% women while athletic participation is only around 38%. It adds that Cal Poly needs to add almost $1.5 million in athletic scholarship aid for women and almost $125,000 in additional recruiting efforts for women.
Cal Poly spokesperson Matt Lazier confirmed that the university received the letter and explained, “While the number of male and female student-athletes affected by the program closures was equal, we acknowledge that the percentage of total female athletes impacted was slightly higher.”
Meanwhile, two other complaints from the co-chair of the Anderson Aquatic Swimming Endowment Committee, alumnus David Caneer, who swam and played water polo at Cal Poly, alleged that the $433,000 remaining in the endowment is at risk of being misappropriated without proper approval.
“My number one concern and my one priority as co-chair is to make sure those funds get appropriated and handled properly," Caneer said.
In May, Caneer filed a complaint with the California State University Chancellor’s Office and with the university, which includes 79 pages of exchanges demanding answers from Cal Poly staff about what will happen to the current endowment should the swim and dive program not be reinstated.
While Cal Poly has stated that they generally do not comment on speculation or university personnel, Caneer mentioned that he was told the internal investigation into his claims at Cal Poly will take 90 days.
Meanwhile, on the Title IX front, Lazier said that the university plans to increase participation opportunities for women in NCAA sports and will share them soon.
