Fresno State to Be Investigated for Possible Title IX Violations

The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights has initiated a review of Fresno State to determine whether the school is complying with 20-year-old federal sex-discrimination statutes pertaining to athletics.

John Palomino, regional director of the Office for Civil Rights in San Francisco, confirmed Friday that officials are investigating Fresno State’s compliance with Title IX. Palomino said he expects the review to take about four months. Palomino’s office also plans to review at least two other schools within the next three months. He did not identify them because they have yet to be notified. Palomino’s region includes American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Nevada and Trust Territorial of the Pacific Islands.

Although women make up 53% of Fresno’s 15,895 students, the number of female athletes based on NCAA participation is low. Of 489 athletes, 76.1% are men in 11 sports, 23.9% women in seven sports. Other factors are also considered.

“Most schools would be skewed because of football,” said Gary Cunningham, Fresno athletic director. “There is no way you can mirror the population without eliminating football.”

Without football factored in, percentages are 67.5 to 32.5.