Babson Athletics Awarded for Gender Equity by NCAA
BABSON PARK, Mass. - The NCAA has announced that the Babson College Athletics Department has been recognized for a Diversity in Athletics Award in the category of Gender Equity (Title IX Proportionality). The Laboratory for Diversity in Sport at Texas A&M University conducted a survey supported by the NCAA that was used to assess the 2008-09 award winners. The award winners are those that have achieved the highest scores in the areas of diversity strategy, gender equity compliance, gender diversity of departmental employees, racial diversity of departmental employees, value and attitudinal diversity of employees, and overall excellence in diversity.
Babson is one of the 41 NCAA Division III schools who were recognized in these six categories and one of seven schools who were awarded in the area of Gender Equity (Title IX Proportionality). Other schools recognized in this area were the University of Texas at Dallas, New England College, Connecticut College, State University of New York at Farmingdale, Thomas College, and the University of Wisconsin Platteville.
The award in Gender Equity was based on the proportion of female athletes relative to the proportion of female undergraduate students. After gathering data from the U.S. Department of Education website, athletics departments that were within one percent of equality received the highest Gender Equity Compliance scores.
"It is an honor to be recognized with such a great group of institutions," says Babson Athletics Director, Josh MacArthur. "This is really more of a recognition of our College than of the Department of Athletics, as there are many departments on campus that help Athletics ensure Title IX proportionality. Our coaches work incredibly hard to attract an academically and athletically talented group of student-athletes. Without a fantastic working relationship with Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Grant Gosselin and his staff as well as Director of Student Financial Services Melissa Shaak and her staff, yielding many of these students might not be possible. Our College prides itself on providing a first class athletics experience both on and off the field. Compliance with Title IX is not just the law, it is critically important to our mission."