Missouri Western State University has been notified by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) that the agency is conducting a proactive compliance review of Missouri Western’s athletic programs. The purpose of this review is to determine whether the university is in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in programs and activities receiving financial assistance from the federal government.
OCR conducts periodic, proactive compliance reviews as part of its standard operating procedure. Missouri Western was selected for the review based on publicly available data; according to OCR, the review is not based on a complaint, and is also not an indication that a federal violation exists. Key issues that will be reviewed are whether Missouri Western provides equal opportunity and comparable financial assistance to male and female athletes.
“We are working closely with the assigned reviewer to provide OCR with all requested information, and we welcome the opportunity to examine gender equity in our athletic programs,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president. “We are strongly committed to providing equal opportunities to all of our students, and believe this process can only strengthen that commitment.”
Missouri Western will be working this fall to submit a response to OCR’s 18-question data request, including a list of all intercollegiate athletic teams, the number of participants of each sex, scholarship opportunities, and more. OCR has not set a timeline for the completion of the review.
For additional information from the Office of Civil Rights, please contact the Press Office at the U.S. Department of Education, 202-401-1576 or press@ed.gov.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.