Fullerton College’s athletics department does their best to comply with Title IX and provide equal opportunity to play for their female athletes.

Title IX (9) is a federal civil rights law in the United States that was passed as a part of the Educations Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Title IX also requires both men and women to be provided equal opportunities to participate in sports. However, it does not require institutions to offer identical sports but rather an equal opportunity to play.

“As a division, we do our best to comply with Title IX. Although, having a football team with a roster that can vary from 150 to 175 players it is impossible to be in total compliance by the percentage of men and women,” said Phil Thurman, FC sports information director.

Thurman also included that Fullerton athletics has 21 total CCCAA sports under their umbrella and 1 emerging club sport in women’s lacrosse.

Even though Fullerton College has more women’s teams than men’s teams, 12 women’s (women’s lacrosse is included in this number) to 10 men’s, it’s hard to have the percentage be exactly 50/50 when the average football roster tends to be so massive compared to the rest of the rosters.

“We are always looking to improve and meet the needs of our female student-athletes and we are working to make Lacrosse a CCCAA sanctioned sport,” Thurman added.

Fullerton College’s athletic director Scott Giles said every year he does a report and the CCCAA looks over the report and they determine whether Fullerton College is in complete compliance with Title IX and are meeting the needs of their under-represented students.

Badminton used to be one of the women’s sports at Fullerton College, but it was ultimately dropped due to the lack of participation.

To replace Badminton, they brought lacrosse with hopes that other community colleges in the area will pick up the sports. Therefore, making women’s lacrosse a CCCAA sport.

Giles also added that they are continuously looking and trying to meet the needs of their female students and they identified Lacrosse as an area of interest. About 5 years ago the athletics department attempted to get lacrosse to be an approved CCCAA sport. However, the CCCAA would not sponsor it due to a lack of interest from other community colleges in the state.

Instead, the women’s lacrosse team is classified as a club sport, and they play against some established 4-year schools instead of community colleges.

Scott Giles also added that there is much more that goes into Title IX other than sports. This includes aspects such as facilities, equipment, access to academic support, as well as travel and, at Fullerton College, they try to comply with all those things.

Thanks to Title IX if a men’s team is being charted then a women’s team needs to be charted too. If the men’s team has access to the gym 3 days a week, then the women’s team needs to have access to the gym 3 days a week as well so on and so forth.

Title IX has done so much in the efforts to make equality for men and women not only in education, but as well as in sports, and Fullerton College is doing their part to remain compliant.