Report Reveals Disparity in Women’s College Sports Participation Despite Growing Interest

The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently released a report urging the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to enhance its enforcement of Title IX compliance in college athletics. The report criticized the OCR for conducting few proactive activities to expand opportunities for women in college sports, despite women enrolling at higher rates than men.

The spotlight on women’s college sports has been growing, especially with the rise in popularity of players like Caitlin Clark, the former guard for the University of Iowa women’s basketball team. Clark recently became the NCAA Division I’s all-time leading scorer across women’s and men’s basketball, bringing more attention to women’s sports.

Title IX, which was adopted over 50 years ago, prohibits discrimination based on sex in activities or programs receiving federal funding. However, the GAO report highlighted a persistent gap in college sports participation between women and men, with women’s overall athletic participation rate falling behind their enrollment rate.

The report also pointed out communication delays between the OCR and colleges, with some colleges experiencing years-long delays in communication. In response to the report, Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights at the department, expressed the department’s commitment to working with the GAO to implement the recommendations.

The attention on women’s sports is on the rise, with the women’s basketball championship attracting more viewers than the men’s championship game for the first time in NCAA history. This shift in viewership highlights the growing interest and support for women’s sports.