Director of district athletics sheds light on college’s Title IX status after a mysterious man arouses attention toward the amendment

Healani Brennan
Staff Writer 

A determined citizen who has asked the college not to identify him went to all 34 colleges in the state with NWAAC sports teams asking for the Title IX amendment to be applied to the teams.

This private citizen reportedly filed a public records request. Pierce College frequently receives these because the community is interested to know how their tax dollars are spent and how programs are operated.

Duncan Stevenson, Pierce College’s director of district athletics, explained how much the teams are in compliance with Title IX. Stevenson mentioned that there is a three-test rule that helps determine if one is within compliance: Participation rates, access to resources, and unmet interest or needs.

“Our participant numbers are not proportionate to our student population and that’s kind of the one first test,” he said. This is the test most people tend to speculate on, but it’s looked at as the first big one.

When asking about budgets and if they are equal for both men and women’s teams, Stevenson replied, “Absolutely; we do not discriminate or provide preferential treatment for any team.”

In fact, according to Stevenson the athletics department submits an annual report to the department of education providing information on how money is spent in athletic programs and there tends to be more resources provided for each female athlete rather than male athletes.

In regards to basketball teams, the men’s teams carry more than the women’s but the overall look at the budgets is that more is spent on the women’s than the men’s.

In response to whether the mystery man’s request changed any plans for the teams or the athletic department, Stevenson said: “No. No changes, business as usual, you know, we feel that how we operate the department falls within the guidelines and the criteria of what’s expected from Title IX, and not just Title IX or even the college’s philosophy, but my own personal philosophy about treating our programs equally.”

In light of if the Pierce athletics department needs to improve any, Stevenson replied: “Oh we always need to improve, without question. I think we are always looking for ways to improve and grow the program and expand opportunities for students.”

Adding another women’s sport is on the to-do list, and the choice high on the radar is women’s soccer, a popular sport among many high schools already. Many sports are wanted at Pierce college but with the lack of a track and field, it’s hard to have multiple sports. Leasing a playing field in Puyallup is an option for the athletic department that the college will fund, with no money coming from the S&A budget.

This mystery gentleman is like a local spokesperson for Title IX just trying to go around and make sure colleges and high schools are fair, respectful to players and following the guidelines that Title IX presents.