A national conference to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX will be held at U-M, May 9-11.
“Title IX at 40: Progress and Promise — Equity for All” will celebrate the federal legislation that enabled women and girls to become high school and college athletes, and to succeed professionally in all fields of endeavor.
The conference begins at 5 p.m. May 9 with a keynote address by Laila Ali, world champion boxer and president of the Women’s Sports Foundation, in the Rackham Graduate School Amphitheatre. The lecture is free and open to the public.
A free interactive workshop for student athletes, coaches and administrators, led by Olympic swimmer and Title IX expert Nancy Hogshead-Makar, will follow Ali’s talk. All other events, which also take place at Rackham, require a registration fee.
“Title IX at 40” will highlight the broad impact of the landmark legislation on U.S. society over the last four decades. The conference will explore the consequences of the legislation, including political, social, historical, economic and health-related effects. More than 150 nationally recognized scholars and researchers, Olympic athletes, coaches, educators, policymakers and media experts are expected to participate in the conference.
In addition to Ali and Hogshead-Makar, Olympic athletes and Title IX advocates planning to attend include swimmer Donna de Varona, softball player Jennie Finch, figure skater Sarah Hughes and track and field standout Benita Fitzgerald Mosely.
Well-known policymakers and sports leaders include Russlynn Ali, assistant secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Dept. of Education; James Delany, commissioner of the Big Ten Conference; Nancy Lee, deputy assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services; Betsy Stevenson, visiting professor, Princeton University; Arthur Bryant, executive director, Public Justice Foundation; Neena Chaudry, senior counsel, National Women’s Law Center; Judy Sweet, first female president of the NCAA; Marjorie Snyder, research director, Women’s Sports Foundation; and Karen Morrison, director of gender initiatives, NCAA.
“Title IX at 40” is organized by the Sport, Health and Activity Research Policy Center for Women and Girls (SHARP). SHARP is a new interdisciplinary center at U-M, formed in collaboration with the Women’s Sports Foundation, founded by Billie Jean King. The mission of SHARP is to advance research and policymaking to enhance the lives of women and girls through sport, play and movement.
Major conference support comes from the Rackham Graduate School.
