Title IX Embroiled in Controversy

New requirements designed to strengthen Title IX, the legislation that advocates equality of opportunity for women's college athletics, are in danger of being watered down.

The new requirements would force colleges to spend an equal amount per capita on men and women.

A powerful lobby, instigated by vice president Father Joyce of Notre Dame, may influence Congress to exempt big revenue sports such as football and basketball from the requirements, Jack P. Reardon, director of Athletics, told about 50 people at an informational meeting last night.

"There's not much revenue that comes in from other sports. so women's sports would stay in the same position" if the lobby succeeds, Reardon said.

Reardon added that Harvard would not be as severely affected as other schools if the requirements took effect.

The legislation stipulates that any gifts Harvard receives from "friends" would be treated as revenue, Reardon said.

Because it is impossible to match gifts for men's teams. Harvard will adopt three policies if the new requirements take effect: Reardon will encourage wealthy men's programs to help women's programs, try to develop women's programs, and allocate athletic department funds when necessary to comply with Title IX.

Harvard has increased expenditures on women's sports from $25,000 to $300,000 in the last five years, Reardon said.

Joseph A. Califano, secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW), has not yet made a decision about the new requirements, although he was to announce his decision April 1. Califano may submit the legislation to Congress.

The equal expenditure per capita test is a measure to insure equal opportunity, because other tests listed in the 1975 legislation proved ineffective, and provided ways for colleges to avoid that objective.

Califano told the eastern branch of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) that if big revenue sports do not receive an exemption, the House Appropriations Committee might act to prohibit use of HEW funds for enforcement of Title IX, Andronike Janus, assistant director of athletics, said last night.

Janus said Califano told the meeting there was a chance Congress would consider an amendment exempting college athletics from Title IX.

The AIAW has no leverage in the matter, Janus said, adding that although a demonstration will occur Sunday in Washington, it is "imprecise" strategically because Congress is presently in recess.

Janus passed out forms entitled "Title IX Alert," urging students to exert pressure on congressmen by writing personal letters.

"Notre Dame has already made clear their intentions if the equal expenditure test takes effect," Reardon said. "They'll just ignore the law."