Revised Senate Bill Still Aims to Protect Athletes

It’s not what community activist Duke Russell wanted and lobbied for, but the way he sees it, a watered-down Senate Bill 338 is better than nothing.

“At least [school] presidents will have some guidelines and not be able to do what they’ve done in the past,” Russell said.

Russell, a retired electrician from Hollywood, is referring to California colleges and universities that suddenly disbanded sports programs in recent years because of gender-equity and financial concerns.

Sponsored by State Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), the bill originally called for a state law that would require universities and community colleges to provide one-year notification to athletes before dropping an athletic program.

The state Assembly Committee on Higher Education passed the bill in June, but without the one-year notification requirement. The revised bill calls for institutions to provide “reasonable notification of a termination.”

Another provision of the bill directs schools to honor the scholarships of affected student athletes and to make every reasonable effort to place the athletes in other programs. California community colleges do not offer scholarships.

The bill goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee in August and then to the senate.

Despite the language modification, Wright believes the bill is strong.

“It isn’t really what I would call watered down,” Wright said. “I don’t think it’ll have a problem passing the senate.”

Perhaps the biggest point of contention with the amended bill is what constitutes reasonable notification. Wright said it depended on each sport.

The California State University system opposes the bill.

“We have to make sure our [school] presidents have enough flexibility to meet our academic needs first,” said Ken Swisher, a public affairs officer for the California State University system.

Swisher said Charles Reed, chancellor of the CSU system, pledged to honor scholarships and place student athletes in other institutions.

John Chandler, a spokesman for Cal State Northridge, said the school does not take positions on legislation.

Wright introduced the legislation in February, 1999, after Northridge dropped four men’s sports--baseball, volleyball, soccer and swimming--in the summer of 1997, about the same time Mission College discontinued its athletic program for financial reasons.

Northridge reinstated the four sports shortly after in the wake of public criticism, but Mission has not, although the school plans to field men’s and women’s soccer in the fall of 2001 and baseball and softball in the spring of 2002.

Russell campaigned doggedly to have the programs reinstated at Northridge and Mission after launching similar crusades that helped save the Los Angeles City and Pasadena City baseball programs.

He wants a more forceful senate bill, but he’s happy for now with small victories.

“It’s a starting point,” Russell said.