Helping sports organization solve integrity, growth, and development challenges

Athletics Program Gender Equity Assessment

Presenting Circumstances

NOTE:  The following consulting package focuses on the participation and treatment of student-athletes, as required by Title IX, and does not include achieving diversity in personnel and employment systems.  See Athletics Department Diversity:  Student-Athletes, Staff and Organizational Climate for this service.

  • Desire for independent third party assessment of compliance with Title IX or, for NCAA Division I institutions, with program gender equity requirements of NCAA Division I certification program; and/or
  • Athletics department is confronting any of the following challenges:
    • assistance in completing a self-evaluation of Title IX compliance
    • Title IX litigation or complaints
    • complaints from parents regarding treatment of female student-athletes
    • females underrepresented and club sports applying for varsity status
    • sexual harassment or other complaints by student-athletes 

Overview of Consultant Deliverables

  • Guide athletics department personnel through a Title IX self-evaluation (or update of previous self-evaluation) which, for NCAA Division I institutions, also meets gender equity certification program standards
  • Work with athletics department staff to gather data concerning gender equity within the athletics program and the identification of gender equity concerns.  SMR is proud of its low-cost comprehensive approach to Title IX compliance assessment.  Click here to read more about it.
  • Guide athletics department personnel through the development of a Title IX/gender equity plan that would meet Title IX (and NCAA Division I certification) standards, ensuring that systems are also created to allow the athletics director to regularly review critical indicators directly related to progress toward the achievement of desired outcomes of that plan 
  • Work with athletics department staff to develop recommendations, if necessary, for specific educational interventions for staff and/or student-athletes 
  • Formal presentation, upon request, of results to athletics department staff, faculty oversight body and/or executive officers of institution