RELEASED:  Monday, December 7, 2009 (Written By:  Amanda Fisch, UW-Platteville Sports Information Student Assistant)

UW-Platteville Wins National Gender-Equity Recognition

MADISON, Wis.--The Laboratory of Diversity in Sport at Texas A&M University and the NCAA have recognized University of Wisconsin-Platteville for its diversity in its athletic department.

UW-Platteville has been awarded the 2008-09 Diversity in Athletics Award for Gender Equity (Title IX Proportionality).  This award is given based on the proportion of female athletes to the proportion of female undergraduates. In order to receive the Gender Equity award, UW-Platteville was within one percent of equality.  

UW-Platteville Athletic Director Mark Molesworth said, “It shows that with continuing history, we are focusing, paying attention, and doing things the right way to ensure that our women’s programs are being treated equally, and they’re just as important.”  

Departments receiving a Diversity in Athletics Award are recognized in six different categories: diversity strategy, gender diversity of department employees, racial diversity of department employees, value and attitudinal diversity of department employees, gender equity compliance (substantial proportionality), and overall excellence in diversity.

In order to determine which schools would be given these awards, the Laboratory for Diversity in Sport at Texas A&M distributed 1,376 questionnaires.  Data was only used from schools in which at least two people from the department responded, in order to ensure stability. The complete date was collected from 199 departments. In all categories, the departments were ranked 1-5, with 1 being the highest. Points were then awarded based on ranking: 1 = 10 points, 2 = 8 points, 3 = 6 points, 4 = 4 points, and 5 = 2 points.

 “It means a lot to our female athletes because it means that we put a lot of resources and effort into having very strong athletic programs for our women on campus and it shows that we get support from upper administration,” said Head Volleyball Coach, Senior Women Administrator, and Assistant Athletic Director Deb Schulman.

Molesworth noted , “Every student athlete is just as important as the next one, whether it’s a male or female, a high profile sport with a large attendance or a lower profile sport with lower attendance.”

The Pioneers sponsor eight men’s and eight women’s varsity sports.