This year marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX, the amendment that outlawed gender discrimination in schools. With the addition of women’s sculling to its varsity sports, Ithaca College continues to make strides toward equality.

Currently, there is an average of 8.73 women’s teams per school and a total of 200,000 female intercollegiate athletes in the U.S. — the highest in history.  The creation of more women’s varsity teams is a progressive move for the college, acknowledging there is still room to improve when it comes to equality.

There are 11 varsity men’s teams, and with the addition of sculling, 14 women’s teams at the college. Title IX ensures fair funding of athletic programs, but it also ensures equality in every aspect of education. Currently almost one-third of schools have a female head athletic trainer, but the college does not.

While women are assistant athletic trainers, as well as assistant sports information directors and assistant athletic directors, the head leadership positions are all held by men.

The college is not just expanding women’s sports, but also the sports made available to women, creating only the second varsity sculling team in the U.S. By adding to the varsity lineup, the college is not only upholding the integrity of the law, but also approaching a decades-old policy with new fervor.