IU Athletics To Begin Year-Long Celebration Of 50th Anniversary Of Title IX This Week

This week, Indiana University Athletics will launch a year-long celebration of one of the most significant dates in the history of intercollegiate athletics.
 
This Thursday, June 23, is the 50^th anniversary of the enactment of the Education Amendments and Title IX, the 1972 federal legislation co-authored by IU alumnus and former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh. Among other things, the legislation was designed to address sex discrimination and provide equal access and opportunities to women at publicly-funded institutions such as Indiana University.
 
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance,” Title IX reads.
 
When U.S. President Richard Nixon signed the legislation into law, those words had a wide-ranging impact on college campuses across the country. And one of the areas that was most dramatically impacted was athletics. Prior to Title IX, intercollegiate athletic opportunities for women were virtually non-existent. But thanks to Title IX, the ball began rolling – ever so slowly – to address that inequity and begin the process of providing women with the same type of intercollegiate athletic opportunities that men had enjoyed for generations.
 
“For today’s generation, it’s largely unimaginable to think of a time when women did not and could not compete in intercollegiate athletics,” said IU Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson. “But that was the reality prior to Title IX. This anniversary is a great time for everyone to reflect on not only the strides we have made during these last 50 years, but also the work that we still have ahead.”
 
IU Athletics will kick off its Title IX Anniversary celebration two days early. Later today, the department will welcome current and former student-athletes, coaches, staff, and distinguished guests to the IU Athletics Title IX Reception at the Henke Hall of Champions from 5-6:30 p.m.
 
That reception, though, is just the start of what IU has planned for the 2022-23 year. In recognition of the fact that not everyone will be able to attend the inaugural IU Athletics Title IX celebration event Tuesday, a series of other Title IX-anniversary related items are also…