Showing posts with label Title IX. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Title IX. Show all posts
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Friday, August 15, 2008
Terms of settlement in Tech Title IX suit
CHARLESTON - Here is the list of "additional upgrades and improvements" WVU Tech offered to make to the women's softball team following its June 2 mediation of the sex discrimination suit filed by students Teri Harrison and Alexis Cox.
The agreement, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding, would be subject to the governing rules of the NCAA and NAIA:
1. Improvements to the existing Cannelton softball field.
a. Lighting - completed.
b. Restrooms - as part of new structure by August 20.
c. Changing areas and lockers - as part of new structure by Aug. 20.
d. Storage space - as part of new structure by August 20.
e. Plans for items (b) through (d) to be provided to Harrison and Cox by June 30.
f. Sound system - completed.
g. Additional viewing area in press box - completed.
h. Infield tarp - completed.
2. Employment of a head coach and assistant coach to apply similar time and work effort as the average softball coaches in like-sized programs within the conference.
3. An organized fall training program as done as similarly sized conference teams.
4. Appropriate access to softball facilities at a reasonable time and place to hold in-season practices and games.
5. Timely collection, dissemination and publication of softball team statistics on both the university's and conference's Web sites consistent with the men's team.
6. The availability of an athletic trainer at the same level of access as the men's team.
7. Reasonably adequate and timely transportation to all away competitive events.
8. A review of the team's budget by the WVU Executive Officer of Social Justice to ensure equity with the men's team.
9. A review of methods and criteria used in scholarship amounts by the WVU Executive Officer of Social Justice to ensure the absence of gender bias.
10. Provision 8 and 9 will remain in effect until the end of the 2011-2012 academic year.
11. Payment of Plaintiff's attorneys' fees and expenses in the amount of $7,500 and the mediator's professional fees.
The agreement, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding, would be subject to the governing rules of the NCAA and NAIA:
1. Improvements to the existing Cannelton softball field.
a. Lighting - completed.
b. Restrooms - as part of new structure by August 20.
c. Changing areas and lockers - as part of new structure by Aug. 20.
d. Storage space - as part of new structure by August 20.
e. Plans for items (b) through (d) to be provided to Harrison and Cox by June 30.
f. Sound system - completed.
g. Additional viewing area in press box - completed.
h. Infield tarp - completed.
2. Employment of a head coach and assistant coach to apply similar time and work effort as the average softball coaches in like-sized programs within the conference.
3. An organized fall training program as done as similarly sized conference teams.
4. Appropriate access to softball facilities at a reasonable time and place to hold in-season practices and games.
5. Timely collection, dissemination and publication of softball team statistics on both the university's and conference's Web sites consistent with the men's team.
6. The availability of an athletic trainer at the same level of access as the men's team.
7. Reasonably adequate and timely transportation to all away competitive events.
8. A review of the team's budget by the WVU Executive Officer of Social Justice to ensure equity with the men's team.
9. A review of methods and criteria used in scholarship amounts by the WVU Executive Officer of Social Justice to ensure the absence of gender bias.
10. Provision 8 and 9 will remain in effect until the end of the 2011-2012 academic year.
11. Payment of Plaintiff's attorneys' fees and expenses in the amount of $7,500 and the mediator's professional fees.
Photos: Former WVU Tech softball players Teri Harrison, above left, and Alexis Cox, filed a civil suit in U.S. District Court in February seeking enforcement of an agreement the school reached with the two women in a Title IX complaint they filed with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. Despite making "additional upgrades and improvements" to the program, the pair are apparently not satisfied with Tech's offer as they have not signed it and asked their attorney, J. Michael Ranson, withdraw from the case.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Attorney asks to withdraw from Title IX suit
CHARLESTON - Citing differences with his clients in settling a sex discrimination suit with WVU Tech, a Charleston attorney is asking a federal judge to relieve him as counsel in the case.
On July 23, J. Michael Ranson of the Ranson Law Offices asked U.S. District Judge David A. Faber to schedule a hearing on a proposed settlement between Tech and two members of the women's softball team.The players filed a Title IX complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.
After filing the complaint that alleged inequities between the men's baseball and women's softball teams, Teri Harrison of Cabin Creek and Alexis Cox of Ripley employed Ranson and his wife, Cynthia. The couple were to file a lawsuit against WVU Tech to enforce a Complaint Resolution Agreement drafted by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.
The lawsuit, records show, was filed Feb. 1. In it, Harrison and Cox alleged the CRA had either been breached, or Tech had failed to take action.
For more on this story, go to The West Virginia Record
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tech slapped with Title IX suit
The following story originally appeared in the Wednesday, Feb. 13 edition of the Charleston Gazette, and is reprinted with permission.
Athletes file Title IX civil suit against WVU Tech
By Mitch Vingle, Sports Editor
Two softball players have filed a civil action against the Board of Governors of WVU Tech and West Virginia University for violation of Title IX, which forbids sex discrimination in state-assisted athletics.
Terri Harrison and Alexis Cox, both listed as softball players at WVU Tech, filed the complaint in the state's U.S. Court for the Southern District.
The suit, filed this month, claims the plaintiffs have been discriminated "by being required to play softball on inadequate fields'' compared to Tech's men. The suit also said the Golden Bear softball team received inadequate equipment and less funding than comparable men's sports.
The suit also claims players were " 'awarded' softball scholarship monies which did not exist.''
According to the papers filed by J. Michael Ranson of Ranson Law Offices in Charleston, Tech officials agreed in August of 2007 to renovations that include installing new lights, restrooms and locker rooms at the Cannelton softball field. The suit said the agreement was breached when no action was taken.
The suit also claims Tech hired a "football coach, with no softball experience'' as an assistant softball coach and that he "continued coaching football'' and was unable to fulfill the duties as a softball coach.
WVU Tech athletic director Lou Talerico could not be immediately reached for comment.
Athletes file Title IX civil suit against WVU Tech
By Mitch Vingle, Sports Editor
Two softball players have filed a civil action against the Board of Governors of WVU Tech and West Virginia University for violation of Title IX, which forbids sex discrimination in state-assisted athletics.
Terri Harrison and Alexis Cox, both listed as softball players at WVU Tech, filed the complaint in the state's U.S. Court for the Southern District.
The suit, filed this month, claims the plaintiffs have been discriminated "by being required to play softball on inadequate fields'' compared to Tech's men. The suit also said the Golden Bear softball team received inadequate equipment and less funding than comparable men's sports.
The suit also claims players were " 'awarded' softball scholarship monies which did not exist.''
According to the papers filed by J. Michael Ranson of Ranson Law Offices in Charleston, Tech officials agreed in August of 2007 to renovations that include installing new lights, restrooms and locker rooms at the Cannelton softball field. The suit said the agreement was breached when no action was taken.
The suit also claims Tech hired a "football coach, with no softball experience'' as an assistant softball coach and that he "continued coaching football'' and was unable to fulfill the duties as a softball coach.
WVU Tech athletic director Lou Talerico could not be immediately reached for comment.
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